NOV  15  191S 
Jennings,  William  Beatty, 

X  O  J  ^  — 

The  social  teachings  of 
Christ  Jesus 


The  Social  Teachings  of 
Christ  Jesus 


The  Social  Teachings 
of  Christ  Jesus 

A  Manual  for  Bible  Classes,  Christi(m':::777::r-^ 
Associations f  Social  Study  Grcn^^etS/-'"''^^/^ 


NOV 


W.  BEATTY  JENNINGS 

Minister  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Germantown  (^Philadelphia) ^  Pa, 


With  Appreciation  by 

J.  ROSS  STEVENSON,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

Preiident  Princeton  Theological  Seminary 


New  York    Chicago    Toronto 

Fleming  H.  Re  veil  Company 

London        and         Edinburgh 


Copyright,  I9I5>  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  125  North  Wabash  Ave. 
Toronto:  25  Richmond  Street,  W. 
London:  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh:      100    Princes    Street 


To 

M.  H.  y. 


Appreciation 


MEN  have  been  slow  in  recognizing  the 
missionary  import  of  Christ's  teach- 
ings. It  was  thought  that  men  could 
possess  the  Gospel  without  propagating  it.  The 
Church  has  come  to  learn  that  only  a  gospel 
intended  for  every  man  is  large  enough  for 
any  man.  In  like  manner  the  Church  has  been 
slow  in  recognizing  the  obligation  to  apply  the 
teaching  of  Jesus  to  every  department  and  rela- 
tionship of  life,  and  carry  the  Gospel  to  each  and 
every  corner  of  the  social  order.  We  have 
learned  that  the  Gospel,  which  transforms  the  in- 
dividual life,  reaches  out  and  seeks  to  redeem  the 
entire  community.  The  truth  of  Jesus  has  not 
failed,  but  men  have  failed  to  realize  its  appli- 
cation to  the  whole  of  life.  We  rejoice  in  the 
wide-spread  interest  which  has  been  awakened  in 
the  social  message  of  Jesus,  and  each  new  study  of 
the  subject  will  strengthen  the  position  and  influ- 
ence of  the  Christian  Church.  Doctor  Jennings 
has  prepared  a  course  of  studies  which  is  com- 
prehensive in  its  contents,  unswervingly  loyal  to 
the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  sanely  practical  in  its 
aim.  It  will  be  welcomed  by  Bible  classes, 
7 


8  An  Appreciation 

young  people's  societies  and  various  Christian 
organizations,  and  will  serve  to  promote  the 
wider  interests  of  that  Kingdom  whose  message 
it  faithfully  seeks  to  understand  and  apply. 


J.  Eoss  Stevenson. 


PresidenVs  Boom, 

The  Theologicdl  Seminary^ 

Princeton^  N,  J, 


Preface 

LITTLE  originality  is  claimed  for  these 
syllabi.  I  have  simply  tried  to  group 
the  social  teachings  of  Christ  Jesus,  the 
incomparable  because  the  Divine  Teacher,  and 
those  of  the  masters  of  our  own  day  who  have 
sought  to  apply  them  to  modern  conditions  and 
needs,  and  to  put  both  in  such  form  that  they 
can  be  used  by  study  classes.  It  is  impossible  to 
make  acknowledgment  in  each  instance  where 
a  thought,  a  saying,  or  even  a  line  of  proof  of 
these  masters  is  appropriated,  often  in  their  very 
words ;  but  in  the  bibliography  at  the  close  of 
the  book  I  have  named  all  who  have  helped  me, 
putting  in  a  special  list  those  to  whom — to  each 
of  whom — I  am  under  greatest  obligation.  I  have 
drawn  freely  on  the  articles  in  Hastings'  "Dic- 
tionary of  Christ  and  the  Gospels. '^  The  charge 
is  sometimes  made  that  the  Christian  Church  is 
not  awake  to  the  social  sins  and  problems  of  the 
modern  world.  Jealousy  for  the  Church's  good 
name,  together  with  a  desire  to  instruct  the  people 
of  my  parish,  prompted  the  preparation  of  these 
studies.  They  are  now  published  in  the  hope 
that  they  will  be  useful  to  a  larger  number  of 
students  of  the  social  teachings  of  our  Lord. 


9 


Contents 


I. 

The  Teacher  and  His  Teachings 

13 

II. 

Man 

17 

III. 

The  Kingdom  of  God  . 

22 

IV. 

Woman 

26 

V. 

The  Child 

30 

VI. 

Property      

34 

VII. 

Work  and  Wages 

38 

VIII. 

Poverty        .        .       •; 

44 

IX. 

Sickness 

48 

X. 

Pleasure      

52 

XI. 

The  Sabbath         .... 

56 

XII. 

The    Saloon    and    the    Drink 

Traffic 

61 

XIII. 

Divorce 

66 

XIV. 

The  Social  Evil  .... 

71 

XV. 

Prisoners  and  Criminals     . 

76 

XVI. 

War 

82 

XVII. 

The  State 

86 

XVIII. 

Missions       .        .        . 

90 

XIX. 

The  Church         .... 

97 

XX. 

The  Lord's  Supper 

102 

Bibliography       .        .        ;        . 

109 

11 

THE  TEACHER  AND  HIS  TEACHINGS 

L    The  Teacher 

Christ  Jesus  is  above  all  the  world's  DiviDO 
Eedeemer.  He  is  also  the  world's  Teacher. 
Titles  given  to  Him  as  such  :  **  Teacher  ^' — 
Didaskalos  (Mk.  iv.  38 ;  Mt.  xix.  16,  etc.)  ; 
*'  Rabbi  ^'  (John  i.  49  ;  vi.  26,  etc.)  ;  Nico- 
demus  uses  both  terms  ;  **  Rabbi,  we  know 
that  Thou  art  a  teacher  come  from  God" 
(John  iii.  2). 

Who  He  is:  '^  Jesus'^  (Mt.  i.  21)  j  '^Christ" 
(Mt.  xvi.  16). 

Insist  that  the  teachings  of  the  Gospels  are 
those  of  Christ  Jesus.  Too  exclusive  use  is 
made  of  the  human  name  of  our  Lord,  Jesus, 
in  books  on  His  social  teachings.  His  words 
are  the  words  of  Christ,  the  Son  of  God. 
*'  Never  man  so  spake  ^'  (John  vii.  46). 

IL    His  Qualifications  for  Teaching 

Wisdom  (Mt.  ix.  4  ;  John  x.  15,  etc.).  Ex- 
amples :  reduction  of  all  life's  duties  to  two 
— love  to  God  and  love  to  man  (Mt.  xxii. 
36-40);  inclusion  of  **with  the  mind"  in 
love  (Mt.  xxii.  37.  Compare  Deut.  vi.  5). 
Self-confidence  (John  viii.  14  j  viii.  55  j  Mt. 
xi.  27  ;  John  xiv.  6). 
13 


14     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

Humility  (Mt.  xi.  29). 

Patience.  Examples  :  instruction  of  Samari- 
tan woman  (John  iv.  4ff.)  ;  dullness  of  dis- 
ciples (Lk.  xxiv.  25)  ;  interruptions  in  table- 
talk  (John  xiii.  36-xiv.  11). 

Sympathy  (Mk.  x.  17-22;  John  xx.  26-29  j 
Mt.  XXV.  40,  45). 

Hopefulness  (John  iv.  35,  36 ;  Lk.  x.  17-20 ; 
xiii.  29  ;  Mt.  xxviii.  19,  20). 

Authority  (Mt.  xi.  27-30  ;  vii.  29). 

Experience  of  life  (Lk.  ii.  51,  52  ;  Mk.  vi.  3  ; 
Mt.  iv.  1-11  ;  Lk.  ix.  57,  58.  Compare  Heb. 
iv.  16). 

III.  His  Method  of  Teaching 
By  1.  Sayings    short  and  pithy  (Lk.   v.   31; 
xix.  10  ;  Mk.  viii.  35). 

2.  Acted    lessons  (Mk.   ix.   33-37 ;    John 

xiii.  1-17). 

3.  Parables  (The  Kingdom  of  God  group  in 

Mt.  xiii.). 

4.  Example  (John  xiii.  34  ;  xvii.  18  ;  xiii. 

15).  Stalker,  in  *' Imago  Christi,'^ 
shows  in  successive  chapters  Christ  as 
an  example  in  the  home,  the  state,  the 
church,  as  a  friend,  in  society,  as  a 
man  of  prayer,  a  student  of  Scripture, 
a  worker,  a  sufferer,  a  philanthropist, 
a  winner  of  souls,  a  preacher,  a  teacher, 
a  controversialist,  a  man  of  feeling,  ao 
influence. 
And  all  gradually  (John  xvi.  12-16). 


The  Teacher  and  His  Teachings      15 

IV*  His  Teachings — Where  Found 

In  the  Gospels.  Taken  in  chronological  order 
these  are  Mark,  Matthew,  Luke,  John. 

In  the  Old  Testament.  Eelation  of  Christ  to 
the  Old  Testament  (Mt.  v.  17-20).  Christ 
abrogated  the  ceremonial  law,  but  retained 
and  endorsed  the  ethical  law  ;  adding  to  it 
(on  Divorce,  Mt.  xix.  3-12  ;  on  the  Sabbath, 
Lk.  vi.  1-11).  See  Christ's  endorsement  of 
John  Baptist^ s  arraignment  of  (1)  special 
privilege,  (2)  graft,  and  (3)  militarism  (Lk. 
iii.  1-14  ;  Mt.  xi.  7-15). 

In  the  Acts  and  Epistles,  etc.  (John  xvi.  12-16 ; 
Acts  i.  1-8). 


V*    His  Great  G^ntribution  as  a  Teacher 

^'Christ's  great  bequest  to  the  world  as  a 
teacher  is  His  revelation  of  the  Fatherhood 
of  God  and  the  brotherhood  of  man.  This 
twofold  message  is  peculiar  to  His  Gospel, 
and  forms  the  key-note  of  His  teaching. 
Christ  the  Teacher  is  indeed  Christ  the  Ee- 
vealer.  He  reveals  the  truths  concerning 
man's  true  nature  and  destiny,  and  his  rela- 
tionship to  God ;  and  sheds  an  ineffable 
light  upon  all  the  dark  and  perplexing  prob- 
lems of  life,  death  and  immortality.  But 
Christ  was  more  than  a  mere  teacher.  His 
teaching  is  not  only  instructive :  it  is  also 
creative.  His  words  do  not  come  with  power 
to  the  intellect  alone :  they  also  appeal  to 


l6     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

the  heart  and  influence  the  will.     *  They  are 
spirit  and  they  are  life'  (John  vi.  63)." 


VI.  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  To  what  extent  is  the  social  unrest  of  to-day 

due  to  the  teachings  of  Christ  Jesus  1 

2.  The  teachings  of  Christ  Jesus,  applied  to 

life,  alone  will  still  the  present  social 
unrest  and  effect  proper  social  adjust- 
ment. 

3.  Learning  depends  not  only  on  the  teacher, 

but  also  on  the  pupil — on  you  ! 

Let  the  Son  of  Man  Teach 

**  Hushed  be  the  noise  and  the  strife  of  the  schools, 
Volume  and  pamphlet,  sermon  and  speech, 
The  lips  of  the  wise  and  the  prattle  of  fools  ; 
Let  the  Son  of  Man  teach  ! 

♦*  Who  has  the  key  of  the  future  but  He  ? 
Who  can  unravel  the  knots  of  the  skein  ? 
We  have  groaned  and  have  travailed  and  sought 
to  be  free  ; 

We  have  travailed  in  vain. 

*'  Bewildered,  dejected,  and  prone  to  despair. 
To  Him  as  at  first  do  we  turn  and  beseech  : 
Our  ears  are  all  open  !     Give  heed  to  our  prayer  ! 
O  Son  of  Man,  teach." 

[Cited  in  Horton's  '*  Teaching  of  Jesus."] 


n 

MAN 

L  Man  the  Child  of  God  Whom  God  Seeks  to  Save 
(Mt.  vi.  9  ;  vi.  25-34 ;  Lk.  xv.  11-32 ;  John 
iv.  23.     Compare  Acts  xvii.  29). 

Eeconcile  with  John  i.  12 ;  Mt.  v.  45. 

This  Sonship  with  God  implies  (1)  The  pos- 
sibility of  man's  communion  with  God ; 
(2)  The  brotherhood  of  men. 

IL  Man's  Natwre  as  a  Child  of  God 

1.  Consists  of  body  and  soul  (Mt.  x.  28).     The 

superiority  of  the  soul  lies  in  its  (1)  in- 
destructibility ;  (2)  greater  capacity  for 
growth,  pain,  joy. 

2.  Immortal  (John  iii.  16 ;  xi.  25 ;  v.  24,  25). 

3.  Social  being  (Mt.  vi.  9-15  j  Lk.  xvi.  19-31 ; 

Mt.  XXV.  31-46).  His  relation  to  other 
men  that  of  (1)  ^'Neighbor"  (Lk.  x. 
25-37)  ;  (2)  '^ Brother^'  (Mt.  xxiii.  8). 

4.  Sinful  (Mt.  iv.  17  ;  vi.  12). 

5.  Yet  not  irredeemably  bad,  but  having  some 

good  to  which  Christ  may  appeal  (John 
iv.  7-29  ;  viii.  1-11). 

6.  Free  (John  v.  40).     Eeconcile  with  John 

vi.  44,  with  which  compare  Mt.  xi.  28. 
17 


l8     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

7.  His  chief  end  is  to  know  God  (John  xvii.  3). 

8.  *^His  vocation  is  the  Kingdom  of  God'^ 

(Mt.  vi.  33). 

9.  Incapable  of  two  great  passions  (Mt.  vi.  24). 


UL  His  Value 

1.  Declared  superior  to  religious  ceremonials 

and  institutions ',  e.  g.j  the  Shew-bread  and 
the  Sabbath  (Mk.  ii.  23-28).  "  It  is  now 
time  that  one  should  arise  in  the  world 
and  cry  out  that  art  is  made  for  man  and 
not  man  for  art ;  that  government  is  made 
for  man  and  not  man  for  government ; 
that  trade  is  made  for  man  and  not  man 
for  trade  ;  that  religion  is  made  for  man 
and  not  man  for  religion.  This  is  essen- 
tially the  utterance  of  Christ  in  declaring 
that  the  Sabbath  was  made  for  man  and 
not  man  for  the  Sabbath  ^^  (Sidney  La- 
nier). 

2.  More  than  other  animate  creatures  :  '^  Spar- 

rows'^  (Lk.  xii.  7);  ^^ Sheep"  (Mt. 
xii.  12). 

3.  More  than  things :  Property  (Lk.  xii.  15) ; 

"the  World ^'  (Mt.  xvi.  26). 

4.  Hinted    in   **the   Parables  of  Eecovery " 

(Lk.  XV.). 

5.  Implied  in  God's  Gift  (John  iii.  16) ;  Christ's 

Mission  (Lk.  xix.  10) ;  the  Cross  (John 
xii.  31,  32) ;  the  Great  Commission  (Mt. 
xxviii.  18-20). 


Man  19 

This  valuation  all  the  more  remarkable  when 
remembered  that  it  is  of  (1)  the  neglected 
(John  iv.  ;  Mt.  xix.  13-16)  ;  (2)  the  de- 
praved and  abandoned  (Lk.  xv.  1,  2 ; 
John  viii.  1-11  ;  Lk.  xix.  1-10). 

Christ  valued  *  *  bare  humanity. "  '  ^  Our  Gospel 
is  not  the  survival  of  the  fittest  5  but  the 
revival  of  the  unfittest." 

IV,  What  Man  is  as  God  Made  Him,  and  i&  to 
be  when  Made  Over  by  God,  is  Seen  in 
Jesus  (John  xix.  5) 

V»   Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  This  valuation  of  man  is  the  chief  char- 

acteristic and  glory  of  Christianity.  ^ '  The 
absence  of  any  certainty  that  life  has  a 
permanent  value  is  the  canker  at  the  heart 
of  heathenism.  First  through  Jesus  Christ 
has  the  value  of  every  single  human  soul 
become  manifest." 

2.  Contrast  Christ's  with  other  estimates  of 

man' s  value ;  e.g.,  " Hands, "  ^ *  Heads, '^ 
**the  Super-man,"  etc.  ^'A  famous 
scientific  lecturer  reduced  a  human  body 
by  chemical  analysis  to  its  constituent 
parts.  He  presented  to  the  audience 
23  lbs.  of  carbon,  2  lbs.  of  lime,  22  oz. 
of  phosphorus,  about  1  oz.  each  of  sodium, 
iron,  potassium,  magnesium  and  silicon ; 
and  apologized  for  not  producing  some 


20     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

5,000  c.  f.  of  oxygen,  100  c.  f.  of  hydrogen, 
and  52  c.  f.  of  nitrogen  gas.  *This,'  he 
said,  *  is  what  makes  a  man.'  " 
**  Addressing  a  meeting  of  medical  students 
in  the  city  of  Sheffield  not  long  ago.  Sir 
James  Crichton  Browne  advised  them  to 
beware  of  the  materialistic  school  which 
regards  a  man's  brain  as  no  more  than  so 
much  phosphorus  and  so  much  glue ;  and 
suggested  that  if  a  man  is  good  and  wise 
it  is  because  his  brain  has  a  maximum 
of  phosphorus  and  a  minimum  of  glue, 
while  if  he  is  evil  and  foolish  it  is  be- 
cause his  brain  has  a  maximum  of  glue 
and  a  minimum  of  phosphorus.  Sir 
James  went  on  to  say  that  if  the  students 
adopted  this  materialistic  conception  of 
man's  nature  they  would  be  disqualified 
from  treating  any  one  successfully  as  a 
patient  even  on  the  physical  side.  To  be 
a  true  physician  a  doctor  must  understand 
the  spiritual  nature  of  his  patients.  The 
mere  materialistic  theory  spells  failure 
here  and  everywhere." 

3.  Noblesse  oblige!    The  ambition  and  effort 

which  proper  self-respect  dictates.  Fight 
all  that  belittles  and  degrades ;  cultivate 
all  that  helps  to  self-realization. 

4.  According  to  the  valuation  of  men  will  be 

the  service  of  them.  Individuals  and  the 
State  often  take  better  care  of  houses  and 
horses  than  of  men.     Give  examples. 


Man  21 

Build  a  social  order  that  corresponds  with 
Christ's  valuation  of  men.  All  sociolog- 
ical theories  and  efforts  are  worth  while 
only  as  they  seek  to  benefit  the  whole  man 
as  a  child  of  God. 


m 

THE  KINGDOM  OP  GOD ;  OE  HEAVEN 
BEOUGHT  TO  EAETH 

L  The  Name 

''  The  Kingdom  of  God  "  (Mk.  i.  16).  Chron- 
ologically Jesus'  first  recorded  use  of  title. 

< ^  The  Kingdom  of  Heaven ' '  (Mt.  iii.  2).  Used 
interchangeably  (Compare  Mt.  xii.  28  ;  v.  3). 

"Heaven"  sometimes  substituted  for  "God,'' 
e.  g.,  Lk.  xv.  21.  Two  names  of  Kingdom 
synonymous. 

Name  indicates  Kingdom  heavenly  in  (1)  Origin, 
(2)  Character,  (3)  Laws. 

**The  Kingdom  of  God,"  the  very  key-note  of 
the  Gospel  of  Christ  Jesus.  The  phrase 
quickly  dropped  out  of  the  common  speech 
of  the  early  Christians  because  of  the  possi- 
bility of  its  misunderstanding  by  the  Eoman 
Government  and  consequent  persecution  of 
the  infant  Church,  It  ought  to  be  brought 
back  into  common  use.  We  would  gain 
much  thereby. 

n^  Some  Characteristics 

1.  Present,  here  and  now  (Mk.  i.  15 ;  Mt.  vi.  10 ; 

Lk.   X.   1,   9;   Mt.  x.  5-8).     Present  in 

Christ's  day  in  its  beginnings  j  present 

now  in  partial  development ;  to  reach  its 

22 


The  Kingdom  of  God  23 

consummation  in  future  (Rev.  xi.  15). 
**  The  phrase  is  not  a  periphrasis  for  the 
life  after  death. '^ 

2.  Universal,  both  in  extension  and  intension. 

This  in  opposition  to  the  restricted  idea 
of  Jews.  Extensively  in  aim  and  scope 
it  knows  no  racial,  social  or  territorial 
limits  (Mt.  vi.  10),  and  is  for  the  most 
abandoned  even  (Mt.  xxi.  31).  Inten- 
sively (Mt.  xiii.  33). 

3.  Spiritual.    This  in  opposition  to  idea  of 
^        Jews  as  worldly  and  political  Kingdom 

(John  xviii.  36 ;  Lk.  xvii.  20,  21 ;  com- 
pare Eom.  xiv.  17).  Therefore  is  not  to 
be  realized  by  ordinary  world-methods 
(Mt.  iv.  8-10),  nor  by  force  (John  xviii.  36 ; 
reconcile  Mt.  xi.  12). 

4.  Social.     Name  "Kingdom"  suggests  social 

relations  and  duties.  Is  ^*  a  reign  of  mu- 
tual service  and  help,  with  an  unselfish 
devotion  to  others  for  its  impelling 
power."     Its  duties  are  social. 

5.  Mixed  character  of  its  citizenship :  Parables 

of  tares  (Mt.  xiii.  24ff.)  and  drag-net  (Mt. 
xiii.  47  ff.). 
In  the  intent  of  Christ  the  Kingdom  of  God, 
which  takes  its  character  from  Himself, 
its  founder  and  ruler,  is  "a  world-wide 
society,  in  which  universal  obedience  to 
the  divine  law,  administered  by  the  Lord's 
Anointed,  would  bring  universal  bless- 
ings, spiritual  and  temporal;  or,  in  one 


24     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

word,  the  Kingdom  of  God  realized  would 
be  an  ideal  world"  (Strong). 

III^  Conditions  of  Entrance  and  Membership 

1.  New  birth  (John  iii.  3).     While  the  King- 

dom is  a  regenerated  society,  this  is  com- 
posed of  regenerated  individuals.  Insist- 
ence on  this  is  of  utmost  consequence. 

2.  Childlikenesses  (Mt.  xviii.  3,  4);  especially 

humility. 

3.  Eighteousness  exceeding  that  of  Pharisees 

and  Scribes  (Mt.  v.  20). 

4.  Tremendous  earnestness  (Mt.  xi.  12). 

5.  Difficult  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  (Mt.  xix.  23). 

An  example  (Lk.  xviii.  18-27). 
In  a  word,   membership  is  dependent  upon 
spiritual  qualities,   humility,  meekness, 
righteousness,  mercifulness,  purity,  peace- 
ableness,  etc.  (Mt.  v.  3-12). 

IV*  Greatness  in  the  Kingdom  of  God 

1.  Humility  (Mt.  xviii.  4). 

2.  Service  (Mt.  xx.  26-28).     "The  Kingdom 

of  God  is  a  task  to  be  realized  by  hard 
work." 
An  ambition  within  the  reach  of  all  and  worthy 
of  the  best. 

V*  Lessons  and  Queries 
1.  Eelation  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  to  the 
Church,    and    the   Churches    consequent 
duty.    The  terms  "Kingdom  of  God*' 


The  Kingdom  of  God  25 

and  *^the  Church  ^^  not  synonymous. 
This  the  error  of  Eomanism.  The  Church 
came  later  than  the  Kingdom,  and  is  an 
outward  organization  for  the  promotion 
of  the  Kingdom.  The  Church's  duty  is 
to  realize  the  Kingdom  in  the  world. 
(For  fuller  discussion  see  Chapter  XIX.) 

2.  The  joys  and  comforts  of  the  Kingdom  of 

God  are  the  antidote  for  the  poverty  and 
distress  and  calamity  in  the  world.  See 
Luke's  version  of  the  Beatitudes  (Lk. 
vi.  20-26). 

3.  In  our  desire  and  effort  to  redeem  society 

we  do  not  work  alone ;  all  the  forces  of 
Christ's  Kingdom  work  with  the  social 
worker. 

4.  Whatever  Christians  do  for  social  better- 

ment should  be  done  in  Christ's  name  and 
through  the  Church,  that  Christ  may  have 
the  honor,  and  the  Church  the  credit. 
6.  Loyalty  to  Christ  the  supreme  requirement 
and  motive  in  the  Kingdom. 


IV 

WOMAN 

L  Christ  Jesus  and  His  Mother 
During  iofancy  (Lk.  ii.  40);  in  the  Temple 
(Lk.  ii.  41-50);  boyhood  in  Nazareth  (Lk. 
ii.  51,  52);  at  marriage  in  Cana  (John  ii. 
1-11);  in  Capernaum  (John  ii.  12);  while 
speaking  to  multitudes  (Mt.  xii.  46-50);  at 
the  Cross  (John  xix.  25-27). 

IL  Qifist's  Treatment  of  Women  other  than  His 
Mother 
Examples  are  :  Samaritan  Woman  (John  iv. 
5  ff.  Note  the  surprise  of  the  Twelve  in  ver. 
27);  the  Sinful  Woman  (John  viii.  1-11); 
Sick  Woman  (Mt.  ix.  20 ff.);  Sinful  Woman 
who  anointed  His  feet  (Lk.  vii.  36  ff.  His 
freedom  toward  and  readiness  to  help  her 
laid  Him  open  to  misconception,  ver.  39) ;  the 
Mothers  (Mt.  xix.  13-15);  the  Bethany  Sis- 
ters (Lk.  X.  38-42  ;  John  xii.  Iff.);  Helping 
Women  (Lk.  viii.  1-3);  Women  in  Sorrow 
(Widow  of  Nain,  Lk.  vii.  11  ff.;  Syrophce- 
nician  Mother,  Mt.  xv.  22  ff.). 

IIL  Christ  Jesus  the  Emancipator  of  "Woman 
1.  By  His  attitude  towards  and  treatment  of 
woman  already  studied  under  Section  II. 
26 


Woman  27 

2.  By  virtual  declaration  of  the  equality  before 

God  of  the  sexes. 

3.  The  new  sanctity  given  to  marriage  and  the 

strict  condemnation  of  divorce  (Mt.  xix. 
3-12  J  Mk.  X.  2-12). 

4.  By  demanding  a  single  standard  of  morals 

for  both  sexes. 

5.  "  The  lifting  of  woman^s  life  above  the  mere 

drudgery  of  housekeeping  (Lk.  x.  38-42), 
even  as  He  had  lifted  man^s  life  above 
the  mere  pursuit  of  things  (Mt.  iv.  4  j  Lk, 
xii.  13-21 }  especially  ver.  15)." 


IV.  Wrongs  Against  Women  to  which  the  Prin- 
ciples of  Christ  Jesus  are  Opposed 

1.  The  double  standard  of  morals  in  vogue  in 

society.  This  is  opposed  to  Christ' s  teach- 
ings about  the  equality  of  the  sexes  ;  about 
brotherhood,  marriage  and  divorce ;  and 
to  the  Golden  Eule. 

2.  Neglect  by  men  of  women  and  children  in 

the  home. 

3.  Work  conditions.  (1)  Unequal  wages  for  the 

same  work ;  (2)  too  long  hours ;  (3)  bad 
sanitation;  (4)  low  wages.  Dr.  H.  C 
Vedder  makes  this  arraignment:  ^'We 
have  done  less  for  the  protection  of  our 
women  workers  than  any  other  country. 
Even  Eussia  has  more  humane  laws  for 
the  protection  of  women  than  have  some 
of  our  American  States.     Pennsylvania, 


28     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

second  among  our  commonwealths  in 
population,  wealth  and  industries,  ranks 
twenty-sixth  in  her  labor  legislation  for 
women  and  children.  Ponder  it  well, 
men  of  America ;  we  are  the  most  back- 
ward country  on  earth,  that  pretends  to 
a  Christian  civilization,  in  the  protection 
of  womanhood.  And,  when  you  have 
thought  well  of  it,  be  proud,  if  you  can, 
that  you  are  an  American  citizen  !  And 
a  Christian !" 
4.  Indirect  wrongs.  Of  many  sins  of  men, 
women  are  the  innocent  victims,  e.  g,, 
drink,  gambling,  disease  as  result  of  im- 
purity. 

V»  Sins  of  Women  which  are  Opposed  to  the 
Principles  of  Christ  Jes«s 

1.  Extravagance  and  ostentation. 

2.  Unwillingness  to  marriage  and  motherhood. 

3.  Improper  dress. 

4.  Neglect  of  children  and  the  home. 

5.  Neglect  of  religion  and  the  church. 

VL  Christ's  Treatment  of  Erring  Women  the 
Model  for  our  Treatment 

1.  Love  them  and  labor  to  redeem  them.     His 

hatred  of  sin  never  lessened  His  love  for 
the  sinner. 

2.  Find  employment  for  them. 

3.  Safeguard  them  against  temptation. 

4.  Shelter  them  in  the  church. 


Woman  29 

Vn»  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  Christianity  has  brought  about  the  unrest 

of  modern  women,  and  it  alone  can  still 
that  unrest. 

2.  What  would  be  Christ's  attitude  towards 

Feminism  I 

3.  The  Cry  of  the  Mothers  of  to-day. 

4.  ''James  Hinton,  England's  aurist,  said  in 

the  height  of  his  fame,  '  If  I  am  remem- 
bered at  all,  I  want  to  be  remembered  as 
a  man  who  went  mad  over  the  wrongs  of 
women.'"  Paul  wrote,  *'Who  is  weak, 
and  I  am  not  weak  ?  Who  is  caused  to 
stumble,  and  I  burn  not  ?  "  (2  Cor.  xi.  29). 

5.  The  wrongs  of  woman  are  a  demand  for 

Christian  chivalry. 


THE  CHILD 

L   Childhood  of  Qirist  Jesus 
Scripture  account  (1)  up  to  12  years  of  age 

(Lk.  ii.  40) ;  (2)  at  12  years  (Lk.  ii.  41-51)  ; 

(3)  up  to  30  years  (Lk.  ii.  52).     His  was  a 

normal  and  ideal  childhood. 
Factors  in  His  training :   Home,  Synagogue 

(at  once  Church  and  school),  carpenter  shop, 

streets,  nature,  occasional  visits  to  Jerusalem. 

Trace  the  influence  of  each  of  these  on  a 

child's  character  and  life-work. 
^'  Jesus  became  a  child  for  the  sake  of  children, 

and  by  His  own  experience  of  childhood  He 

has  sanctified  it."     Childhood  owes  as  much 

to  Christ  as  does  womanhood. 

n.  Qirist's  Dealings  with  Children  and  Teach- 
ings Concerning  Them 

1.  Blessed  them  (Mk.  x.  13-16),  and  in  con- 

nection therewith  declared  (1)  to  them 
belongs  the  Kingdom  of  God ;  (2)  child- 
like spirit  necessary  to  entrance. 

2.  Identified  Himself  with  them  in  the  treat- 

ment given  them  (Mk.  ix.  35-37). 

3.  Made  the  child  the  type  of  greatness  in  the 

Kingdom  (Mt.  xviii.  1-4). 
30 


The  Child  31 

4.  Warned  against  causing  a  child  to  stumble 

(Mt.  xviii.  5,  6). 

5.  Observed  and  took  pleasure  in  play  of  chil- 

dren (Lk.  vii.  31,  32). 

6.  Eeceived    and  valued  praises  of  children 

(Mt.  xxi.  15-17). 

7.  Declared    their  value  to  God  (Mt.   xviii. 

10-14). 

8.  Cures    of   sick    or  dead  children  (Jairus' 

daughter,  Mk.  v.  22-24,  35-43 ;  Canaan- 
itish  woman's  daughter,  Mt.  xv.  22-28  ; 
Epileptic  boy,  Mt.  xvii.  14-18,  etc.). 

9.  Compassion  for  the  sorrows  of  children  (Lk. 

xxiii.  27,  28). 


ni-  Dn  Henry  C  Vedder's ''Bill  of  Rights  for 

Childhoods  The  inalienable  right  (1)  to  be 
born  right;  (2)  to  be  loved;  (3)  to  have 
his  individuality  respected ;  (4)  to  be 
trained  wisely  in  body,  mind  and  spirit ; 
(5)  to  be  protected  from  evil  persons  and 
influences;  (6)  to  have  a  fair  chance  in 
life." 

TV*  Some  Wrongs  against  Children,  which  the 
Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus  would  Help  to 
Correct 
1.  In  the  home.  (1)  Bad  housing,  with  con- 
sequent immodesty  and  sex-perversion; 
(2)  non-enforcement  of  parental  author- 
ity, leading  to  disregard  of  authority  in 


32     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

all  relations  of  life  ;  (3)  neglect  by  parents 
of  instruction  in  sex  matters  ;  (4)  careless- 
ness of  the  child's  reading  and  companion- 
ships ;  (5)  divorce,  the  effects  of  which 
are  to  the  child  most  serious ;  (6)  low 
ideals  for  life ;  (7)  neglect  of  family  re- 
ligion. 

2.  In  the  school.     (1)  Disregard  of  the  pupil's 

individuality  ;  (2)  exclusion  of  religious 
instruction  from  the  school. 

3.  On  the  streets.     '  ^t  is  the  life  of  the  street, ' ' 

says  Mr.  Jacob  A.  Eiis,  "that  develops 
dislike  of  regular  work,  physical  in- 
capability of  sustained  effort,  misdirected 
love  of  adventure,  gambling  propensities, 
absence  of  energy,  an  untrained  will,  care- 
lessness of  the  happiness  of  others." 
Dwell  upon  the  influence  of  shop- windows, 
saloons,  amusement  places,  etc.  Necessity 
for  regulated  amusements,  playgrounds, 
etc. 

4.  At     work.      Child-labor     not     necessary. 

Prompted  by  greed,  because  "cheap" 
(though  in  the  end  most  expensive). 
Arguments  against  child-labor  are  : 
(1)  Its  expense  to  society ;  (2)  it  lowers 
the  general  standard  of  wages  and  of 
working  and  living  conditions ;  (3)  it 
makes  the  child  a  competitor  of  adult 
wage- workers,  even  of  parents ;  (4)  it 
helps  to  destroy  family  life ;  (5)  it  steals 
from    the    child    his   play-time,    proper 


The  Child 


33 


growth,  education.  [Summarized  from 
Doctor  Yedder's  chapter  on  *^Tlie  Prob- 
lem of  the  Child."]  Some  wrongs  are  : 
(1)  Too  low  wages ;  (2)  too  long  hours  ; 
(3)  exposure  to  unguarded  dangerous 
machinery  ;  (4)  too  low  age  limit ;  (5)  al- 
lowance on  night-shift.  The  labor  of 
children  on  the  streets  deserves  separate 
consideration.  Many  states  have  no  laws 
regulating  such  labor. 

5.  In  the  courts  and  jails :  (1)  imprisonment 

with  older  criminals;  (2)  open  trial  in 
ordinary  courts ;  (3)  punishment  vs.  re- 
form.    (See  Chapter  XV. ) 

6.  In  the  Church  :  (1)  non-attendance  at  church 

worship  ;  (2)  poor  instruction  in  the  Sun- 
day-school ;  (3)  failure  to  bring  early  in 
life  into  church  membership;  (4)  care- 
lessness of  development  in  spiritual  life 
and  work  after  reception  into  the  church. 

V.  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  What  would  be  Christ's  attitude  towards 

^'Eugenics''? 

2.  Ignorance  of  and  indifference  to  the  wrongs 

of  childhood  a  common  and  great  sin. 

3.  The  most  important  thing  in  the  solution  of 

the  child  problem  is  the  development  of 
character  through  religion. 

4.  Christ  the  best  friend  of  children. 


VI 

PEOPEETY 

L  The  Instittition  of  Property  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  the  Laws  Governing  iU  What 
was  Christ's  Attitude  towards? 

IL   Christ's  Recognition  of  the  Right  of  Property 

1.  Negative :  (1)  In  His  non-condemnation  of 

property-holders.  Peter  (Mk.  i.  29)  and 
mother  of  John  and  Mark  (Acts  xii.  12), 
householders ;  Zaccheus  (Lk.  xix.  6,  8), 
Nicodemus  (John  xix.  39),  the  Bethany 
family  (John  xii.  1-3),  the  ministering 
women  (Lk.  viii.  3),  all  property  owners. 
Joseph  and  Mary  probably  owned  prop- 
erty in  Nazareth  ;  had  Jesus  any  interest 
in  this  ?  (2)  In  His  non- condemnation  of 
property  when  asked  to  settle  a  dispute 
(Lk.  xii.  13-15)5  and  in  certain  para- 
bles, such  as  the  wicked  rich  man  (Lk. 
xvi.  19  ff.)  and  the  prosperous  farmer 
(Lk.  xii.  16-21). 

2.  Positive :  In  His  use  of  the  relations  and 

duties  of  land-owners,  householders  and 
stewards  to  illustrate  the  truths  of  His 
Kingdom. 

34 


Property  35 

HL  Certain  Sayings  of  Qitist  which  may  upon 
the  Surface  seem  to  Condemn  the  Owner- 
ship of  Property 

1.  *^Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon 

earth"  (Mt.  vi.  19). 

2.  *'Take  no  thought,  saying,  what  shall  we 

eat,"  etc.  (Mt.  vi.  31). 

3.  ^'Sell  that  which  ye  have  and  give  alms" 

(Lk.  xii.  33). 

4.  *'If  thou  wouldst  be  perfect,  go,  sell  that 

which  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,'' 
etc.  (Mt.  xix.  21). 


IV»  Some  Teachings  of  Christ  which  Regulate 
Property 

1.  Man's  life  consists  not  in  his  possessions 

(Lk.  xii.  15),  and  therefore  property  is 
not  the  thing  of  first  value. 

2.  Tends  to  covetousness  (Lk.  xii.  15),  and  is 

to  be  watched. 

3.  Makes  difficult  to  enter  the  Kingdom  of 

God  (Mt.  xix.  23-25.  Compare  Mk.  x.  24 ; 
on  which  see  marginal  note  in  American 
R.  v.). 

4.  Generosity  commanded  (Mt.  v.  40-42);  this 

the  best  preventive  and  counteractant  of 

selfishness. 
6.  Its   voluntary  surrender    for    God    brings 

blessing  (Mt.  xix.  27-30). 
6.  The  right  use  of  earthly  possessions  a  means 

of  obtaining  the  true  riches  (Lk.  xvi.  9-11). 


36     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

7.  '^  All  possessions  must  be  held  subject  to 
the  duties  of  discipleship'^  (Lk.  xiv.  26, 
33). 


V*  Apply  the  Teachings  of  Jesus  to  Pfopertytin 

its  (1)  getting,  (2)  saving,  (3)  spending, 
(4)  giving,  (6)  taking,  (6)  lending,  (7)  bor- 
rowing, (8)  bequeathing.  **  A  right  meas- 
ure and  manner  in  these  would  almost 
argue  a  perfect  man." 


VI^  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  All  property  is  held  in  trust  for  God,  the 

alone  Owner  of  all  things. 

2.  ^'In   a  thoroughly  Christian  world  there 

would  be  none  so  poor  and  none  so  rich 
as  there  are  now."  But  this  would  be, 
not  by  law,  but  by  love. 

3.  Christianity  condemns  the  renting  of  prop- 

erty for  wrong  uses,  e.  g, ,  saloons,  houses 
of  impurity,  etc. 

4.  What  would  be  Christ's  attitude  towards 

modern  Socialism?  What  was  His  atti- 
tude towards  the  Essenes  of  His  day,  who 
were  *^  bound  together  in  a  community  of 
goods  as  their  strongest  tie  "  ? 

5.  Does  Christianity  differentiate  between  own- 

ership in  land  and  in  property  of  other 
kinds?  What  bearing  has  this  on  the 
single  tax  doctrine  ? 


Property  37 

6.  Eelation  of  property  to  the  tithe  in  the  Chris- 

tian Church  (Mt.  xxiii.  23  ;  Lk.  xxi.  1-4). 

7.  All  cries  against  ownership  would  be  hushed 

by  the  Christian  use  of  property. 

8.  Holy  love,  realizing  itself  in  service  and 

sacrifice,  the  only  effective  principle  gov- 
erning property. 


VII 
WOEK  AND  WAGES 

L  Christ  Jesus  as  a  Worker 

1.  As  Carpenter.     Apprentice  to  His  father 

(Lk.  ii.  51,  52);  for  Himself  (Mk.  vi.  3). 
Not  improbably  a  member  of  the  Car- 
penters' Guild  of  His  day.  (See  Delitzsch, 
''  Artisan  Life  in  the  Time  of  Christ. ") 

2.  As  Preacher,   Teacher  and  Healer   (John 

V.  17). 

3.  Brought  His  finished  work  to  God  at  close 

of  His  life. 
Some  Kesults  of  His  work-life. 

1.  Many  similes  used  in  teaching  are  taken 

from  the  work -world  (Mt.  xx.  1-15 ; 
John  iv.  35). 

2.  Sympathy    with    working    men :    in  their 

weariness  (Mt.  xi.  28.  The  word  which 
Christ  uses  for  ^' labor  ^^  emphasizes  its 
resultant  weariness);  in  their  unemploy- 
ment (Mt.  XX.  6-15). 

3.  Manual  labor  is  dignified  both  by  the  teach- 

ings and  example  of  Christ  Jesus.  This 
is  in  contrast  to  the  Greeks  and  Eomans, 
who  despised  it.  With  Him  work  was 
even  one  means  of  worship  ;  ' '  Father, 
...    I   glorified  Thee  on  the  earth, 


^  Work  and  Wages  39 

having  accomplished  the  work  which 
Thou  hast  given  me  to  do  "  [as  a  carpenter 
for  thirty  years  and  a  world-redeemer  for 
three  years  and  a  half  J.  Christ  still 
further  dignified  toil  by  calling  His 
earliest  disciples  from  the  ranks  of 
manual  laborers  (Mt.  ii.  18-22). 


IL  Christ   Jesus'  Teachings  about  Work    and 
"Wages 

1.  Life  is  worth  while  only  as  it  is  measured  in 

terms  of  work  (Mt.  xx.  26-28).  As  a  con- 
sequence of  this  every  man  has  the  right 
to  an  opportunity  to  work. 

2.  Work  commanded  for  all :  in  the  fourth 

commandment  reSnacted  by  Christ  (Ex. 
XX.  9);  in  Parable  of  Talents  (Mt.  xxv. 
14-30).  "One  monster  there  is  in  the 
world  J  the  idle  man"  (Carlyle),  whether 
idle  rich  or  poor  ! 

3.  The  fatherhood  of  God  (Mt.  vi.  9)  and  the 

brotherhood  of  man  (Mt.  xxiii.  8)  de- 
termine the  relations,  conditions,  terms 
and  spirit  of  employers  and  employees. 

4.  The  interests  of  employers  and  employees 

are  mutual,  and  corresponding  conduct 
is  at  the  basis  of  all  progress  (John  iv. 
36).  This  means  cooperation. 
6.  All  disputes,  including  those  of  labor, 
should  be  settled  by  conciliation  and  ar- 
bitration (Mt.  xviii.  15-17). 


40     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

6.  **  Where  ability  is  equal,  the  quantity  of 

work  done  determines  relative  merit 
(Parable  of  Pounds,  Lk.  x.  12ff.)j  where 
ability  varies,  then  it  is  not  the  absolute 
quantity  of  work  done,  but  the  ratio  of 
the  quantity  to  the  ability  (Parable  of 
Talents,  Mt.  xxv.  14ff.)j  but  however 
great  the  diligence  and  zeal  displayed  or 
the  amount  of  work  done  may  be,  no  work 
can  have  any  real  value  in  the  Kingdom 
of  God  which  proceeds  from  an  impure 
motive  (Parable  of  Laborers  in  the  Vine- 
yard, Mt.  XX.  Iff)."     [Bruce.] 

7.  **The  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire '^  (Lk. 

X.  7).  "The  converse  also  is  true,  'the 
hire  must  be  worthy  of  the  laborer.' '' 
This  implies  (1)  The  right  to  a  liviug 
wage.  ' '  By  a  living  wage  is  not  meant 
merely  enough  to  keep  soul  and  body  to- 
gether. There  must  be  sufficient  to  live 
a  decent  and  fairly  comfortable,  a  cleanly 
and  a  noble  life."  A  non-living  wage 
sometimes  due  to  indifference  or  igno- 
rance, but  oftenest  to  greed  of  employers. 
"  Too  low  wages  are  responsible  for  about 
one-half  the  cases  of  primary  poverty." 
A  liviug  wage  is  '^  ethically  and  econom- 
ically reasonable.''  Such  wage  would 
render  child-labor  and  that  of  many 
women  unnecessary.  (2)  Prompt  pay- 
ment of  wages.     (Compare  James  v.  4.) 

8.  God    appreciates    and  rewards  justly  and 


Work  and  Wages  41 

generously  all  work,  basing  His  judgment 
on  the  work's  quantity,  quality,  spirit 
and  social  value.  Those  at  the  bottom  of 
the  scale  of  ability  Christ  holds,  if  faith- 
ful, worthy  of  equal  honor  and  reward 
with  those  at  the  top  (see  parables  quoted 
above). 

EL   Some    Sins   against   Working  Men   (other 
than  those  already  mentioned) 

1.  Unsanitary  work  conditions. 

2.  Non-safeguards  in  dangerous  trades. 

3.  Non-provision  of  old-age  pensions,  etc. 

4.  Lower  wages  paid  to  women  who  do  the 

same  work  as  men. 


IV*  Some  Sins  of  Working  Men 

1.  Eefusal  to  allow  another  to  take  place  givien 

up,  in  case  of  strikes,  etc. 

2.  Proportioning  the  amount  of  work  which  a 

workman  may  be  able  and  willing  to  do — 
either  to  his  own  profit  or  that  of  his  em- 
ployers— to  the  amount  done  by  the  least 
efficient  workman. 

3.  Personal  violence ;  as  for  example,  to  non- 

union men. 

4.  Lack  of  interest  in  one's  work.     Working 

by  the  clock. 
It  is  impossible  to  conceive  of  Clirist  Jesus  as 
a   member  of  the    Carpenters'  Guild  in 
Nazareth  being  guilty  of  these  sins. 


42     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

V*  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  The  indisputable  right  of  both  employees 

and  employers  to  organize  for  protection 
and  promotion  of  common  interests. 

2.  Should  there  be  a  minimum  wage?    If  so, 

who  should  determine  it,  and  should  it 
ever  rise  above  an  efficiency  wage  I 

3.  Should    there    be    a    sliding    wage- scale? 

What  factors  should  determine  it— the 
profits  of  the  business  ?  the  cost  of  living  ? 
the  amount  of  work  done  ? 

4.  Should  wage-scales  be  public?     "The  wage 

scale  of  employers  should  be  on  file  for 
public  purposes  like  the  statistics  of  pub- 
lic health"  (Eauschenbusch). 

5.  The  privilege  of  the  employer  to  give  a 

wage  above  that  earned  if  he  chooses 
(Mt.  XX.  Iff.). 

6.  Christ's  pity,  not  unmixed  with  contempt, 

for  the  idle  rich  (Mt.  xix.  23-30).  Greater 
capacity  brings,  not  greater  privilege,  but 
greater  responsibility. 

7.  "The  many  and  varied  schemes,  now  so 

vigorously  undertaken  by  employers,  of 
conciliation,  cooperation,  profit-sharing, 
and  industrial  partnership  .  .  .  rep- 
resent a  candid  recognition  of  the  fact 
that  the  wage- system  in  its  bare  economic 
form  must  be  supplemented,  if  it  is  not  to 
be  supplanted ;  that  the  line  of  division 
between  employer  and  employed  must  be 
effaced  by  fraternalism,  if  it  is  not  to  be 


Work  and  Wages  43 

obliterated  by  socialism.  Schemes  of  in- 
dustrial reform  must  be  incorporated  with 
the  business,  adapted  to  the  type  of  in- 
dustry concerned,  and  charged  to  produc- 
tion. The  proper  payment  for  them  is 
not  gratitude,  but  loyalty.  They  are  one 
form  of  evidence  that  the  industrial  order, 
imperfect  as  it  is,  may  be  developed  by 
intelligence  and  ingenuity  into  a  system 
of  mutual  advantage,  which  is  certainly 
more  accessible,  and  may  perhaps  be 
more  durable,  than  the  vague  ventures 
which  social  revolution  now  so  lightly 
proposes  to  make  ^ '  (Peabody ). 


YIII 
POVEETY 

L    Chfist^s  Poverty 

Born  of  a  peasant  maid.  Offering  at  Presenta- 
tion that  of  the  poor  (Lk.  ii.  24).  Carpenter's 
son  and  Himself  a  carpenter  (Mt.  xiii.  55 ; 
Mk.  vi.  3).  After  entering  upon  His  public 
ministry  He  was  supported  in  part  by  de- 
voted women  (Lk.  viii.  2,  3).  He  was  neither 
rich  nor  poor,  but  was  nearer  poor. 

Explain  Mt.  viii.  20.  Meant,  not  that  He 
could  not  have  a  home  of  His  own,  but  that 
He  would  not.  He  had  given  up  His  home 
in  order  to  itinerate  for  welfare  of  others. 

EL   Christ's  Attitude  towards  the  Poor 

1.  Kindliest  sympathy.     Shown  in  silence  and 

in  speech.  Has  much  to  say  in  criticism 
and  condemnation  of  the  rich,  but  little 
of  the  poor. 

2.  Active  help.     Carried  a  bag  of  money  for 

relief  of  poor  (John  xii.  4-6  ;  xiii.  29). 

3.  Gave  Himself.     Declared  mission  to  be  to 

poor  (Lk.  iv.  18);  visited  both  rich  and 

poor,  but  kept  company  chiefly  with  poor. 

This  attitude  in  contrast  with  that  of  most 

people  of  His  day,  who  contemned  poor, 

44 


Poverty  45 

because  of  Israel's  exaggerated  connection 
of  conduct  and  worldly  prosperity,  e.  g.y 
Ps.  xxxvii.  22,  25. 
The  Sympathy  of  the  Church,  like  that  of 
Christ,  should  be  with  poor ;  oftener  it 
has  been  with  rich. 


UL   Christ's  Comfort  of  the  Poor 

1.  Beatitude    of   Poverty  (Lk.  vi.    20).     The 

poverty  which  is  thus  beatified  is  ' '  that 
freedom  from  absorption  in  worldly  in- 
terests, not  that  incubus  which  rests  upon 
many  resulting  in  helpless  bondage  to 
want  and  suffering."  Has  much  to  say 
about  dangers  and  difficulties  of  rich,  but 
nothing  similar  about  poor.  There  are 
such,  but  Jesus  thought  them  less. 

2.  Against  over-anxiety,   because  of  Father's 

knowledge  of  need  of  food,  clothing,  etc. 
(Mt.  vi.  25-34). 

3.  Encouraged  to  pray  for  **  bread."    *' Daily '' 

may  be  translated  "to-morrow's,"  "suffi- 
cient "  (Mt.  vi.  11). 

4.  Invitation  to  rest  (Mt.  xi.  28-30). 

5.  Appreciation  of  smallest  service  of  poor 

(Mk.  xii.  42.     Compare  Mt.  x.  42). 

6.  Identification  of  Himself  with  the  poor  (Mt. 

XXV.  40,  45). 
One  might  almost  covet  poverty  in  order  to 
such  comfort.     Verily   "Blessed  are  ye 
poor"  ! 


46     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

IV*   The  Relief  of  Poverty 

1.  Poverty  not  necessary  or  permanent.     Ex- 

plain Mk.  xiv.  7.  To  take  this  to  mean 
that  poverty  must  be  acquiesced  in  is 
wrong.  On  contrary  see  Mt.  xiv.  16. 
Truth  is,  in  our  Father's  house  is  bread 
enough  and  to  spare  (Lk.  xv.  17).  Pov- 
erty is  remediable  and  preventable. 

2.  Obligation  to  relieve  poor  implied  in  com- 

mand (Mt.  V.  43);  common  prayer  (Mt. 
vi.  11);  Golden  Eule  (Mt.  vii.  12);  Par- 
ables of  Good  Samaritan  (Lk.  x.  25  £f.), 
and  Wicked  Eich  Man  and  Lazarus  (Lk. 
xvi.  19  £f.);  incident  of  Eich  Young  Man 
(Mk.  X.  17-22). 

3.  Command  to   ''give  to  him  that  asketh 

thee"  (Mt.  v.  42).  Doctor  Vedder  calls 
attention  to  the  fact  that  a  false  distinc- 
tion between  ''deserving"  and  "unde- 
serving" poor  becomes  excuse  for  not 
giving.    Give  something  to  each  beggar. 

Things  to  be  given  for  relief  of  poor,  according 
to  individual  needs  :  Money  (this  is  ours 
not  to  distribute  but  to  administer);  op- 
portunity ;  employment ;  a  living  wage ; 
encouragement ;  church  sympathy  ;  one- 
self. 

In  order  to  right  giving  to  all  we  must  know 
the  cause  of  poverty  in  each  case.  Is  it 
due  to  the  poor  themselves — improvi- 
dence, laziness,  extravagance,  drunken- 
ness, gambling,  etc.  ?    Due  to  society — 


Poverty  47 

bad  housing  laws,  poor  sanitation,  over- 
work, lack  of  vocational  training,  etc.  ? 
Due  to  Churcli  in  any  degree  I 
The  ultimate  relief  and  prevention  of  poverty 
is  not  through  charity,  education,  legisla- 
tion, but  the  development  of  character  by 
means  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  Sin 
is  the  tap-root  of  poverty,  and  salvation 
from  sin  its  only  solution.  The  Church 
has  the  remedy  and  preventive.  She 
must  not  withhold  it. 

V»  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  Is  the  poverty  of  the  individual  man  cause 

or  effect? 

2.  What  should  be  the  attitude  of  the  Church 

towards  Organized  Relief  Associations 
and  State  Charities  ? 

3.  What  is  the  Christian  attitude  towards  cur- 

rent Socialism  ? 

4.  Eealize  the  bigness  and  complexity  of  this 

problem ;  involves  housing,  employment, 
temperance,  etc.  God's  Spirit  the  guide 
to  solution.  God  in  the  Church  adequate 
to  the  work. 


IX 

SICKNESS 

L  Jesus  Took  Cogniza,nce  of  Sickness 

1.  Called  it  by  several  names,  more  or  less 

descriptive  of  the  malady  in  each  case. 
(Study  the  Greek  terms  used  in  John 
xi.  4  ;  Mt.  X.  1 ;  Lk.  ix.  1.)  Common 
honesty  in  the  use  of  words  implies  Jesus' 
belief  in  the  fact  of  sickness. 

2.  Silence    in    not   declaring    sickness   to   be 

unreal :  Capernaum  nobleman  (John  iv. 
46  ff.);  Peter's  mother-in-law  (Mt.  viii. 
14-17)  ;  Lazarus  (John  xi.  Iff.)  ;  multi- 
tudes (Mt.  iv.  23,  24). 

3.  Admission  of  reality  of  Lazarus'  sickness 

(John  xi.  3,  4.     Compare  vers.    11-14). 

4.  Use  of  relation  of  the  sick  and  physician  to 

illustrate  His  mission  (Mt.  ix.  12). 
Christian  Science  is  not  only  (1)  unscientific 
and  (2)  unchristian ;  it  is  also  (3)  un- 
social J  in  that  it  leads  to  self-deception 
and  deception  of  others,  neglect  of  the 
sick,  exposure  of  others  through  non- 
observance  of  quarantine  laws,  and  even 
to  virtual  murder.  All  the  good  that 
Christian  Science  does  is  overbalanced 
by  its  evil  social  effects. 
48 


Sickness  49 

IL  Jesus  Opposed  the  Theory  Current  in  His 
Day  that  all  Sickness  is  the  Result  of  Sin 
and  the  Penalty  for  Sin  (John  ix.  1-3)  ; 
either  one's  own  sin  or  one's  parents'. 

IIL  Yet  Jesus  in  Some  Instances  Linked  Sick- 
nesses with  Sin:  Capernaum  paralytic 
(Mk.  ii.  3,  5)  J  impotent  man  of  Bethesda 
(John  V.  14). 

This  teaching  of  Jesus  should  lead  us  to  care 
in  the  discrimination  of  sicknesses.  Ee- 
sponsibility  for  sickness  may  be  traced 
severally  to  (1)  ancestors,  (2)  self,  (3)  other 
individuals,  (4)  community,  state,  society, 
(5)  God.  God  is  by  no  means  the  author 
of  most  of  the  sickness  and  sorrow  in  the 
world. 

Sicknesses  are  of  several  kinds :  (1)  Prevent- 
able, (2)  remediable,  (3)  incurable.  What 
is  the  duty  of  State  and  Church  towards 
each  of  these  ? 

IV^  Jesus  Healed  Sicknesses  (A  summary  of  ar- 
ticles ' '  Disease ' '  and  ' '  Cures ' '  in  Hast- 
ings' Dictionary  of  Christ  and  the  Gos- 
pels :  which  see). 
Among  the  kinds  of  sickness  cured  were 
(1)  physical  defect  (Mt.  ix.  32,  33; 
John  ix.  Iff.);  (2)  fevers  (Lk.  iv.  38, 
39) ;  (3)  skin  diseases  (Lk.  xvii.  12ff.)  ; 
(4)  dropsy  (Lk.  xiv.  2)  ;  (5)  nervous  dis- 
eases (Mt.  xvii.  15)  ;  (6)  combined  diseases 
physical  and  psychical. 


50     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

Several  things  about  Christ's  cures  are  worthy 
of  study : 

1.  Some  instantaneous  (Mt.  viii.  3)  ;   some 

partial  or  progressive  (Mk.  v.  41-43  j 
vii.  29,  30 ;  John  iv.  50,  53). 

2.  Some    cures  wrought  in  absence   (John 

iv.  46  ff.;. 

3.  In   some    cases  used  means :    diet  (Lk. 

viii.  55)  ;  oil  and  wine  (Lk.  x.  34). 

4.  Some  cures  associated  with  prayer  (Mk. 

vii.  34  5  John  xi.  41,  42 ;  Mk.  ix.  29). 

5.  Faith  required  in  some  cases :  (1)  Of  the 

sick  man  (Mt.  ix.  28,  29)  ;  (2)  of  others 

(Mk.  ii.  5).     In  other  cases  no  reference 

made  to  requirements  of  faith  (Lk.  xiv. 

1-6  ;  xxii.  51,  52  ;  Mk.  vi.  5). 

This  raises  the  questions  of  (1)  faith  cures; 

(2)  prayer  as  a  means  of  healing,  and  as 

a  social  power. 

V*  Christ  Pointed  to  His  Cures  as  a  Proof,  One 
Among  Many,  of  His  Messiahship  (Lk.  vii. 
21,  22). 

Yl*  Christ  Taught  that  Sickness  is  not  a  Neces- 
sary Part  of  the  Natural  and  Divine 
Order  (Lk.  xiii.  11-17  ;  esp.  ver.  16). 
This  is  our  obligation  and  encouragement 
to  work  for  the  banishment  of  sickness. 

VII^  Jesus,  **  the  Great  Physician  ^ 

His  qualifications :   (1)  wisdom  (Mk.   ii.   5)  ; 
(2)  power  (Mt.   xxviii.  18;  Lk.  v.  17); 


Sickness  5 1 

(3)  commissioned  (Lk.  iv.  18) ;  (4)  sym- 
pathy (Mt.  XX.  34) ;  (5)  cures  are  free 
(Mk.  i.  32-34). 
What  He  gives  the  sick  :  (1)  Sympathy  al- 
ways ;  (2)  healing  often  5  this  better  than 
gift  of  money,  for  it  is  the  power  to  earn 
money  for  themselves ;  (3)  resignation 
and  even  joy,  in  view  of  fact  that  end 
of  some  sickness  is  the  glory  of  God 
(John  ix.  3  ;  xi.  4). 

Vin*   Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  Medical  science  has  its  inspiration  and  sus- 

tenance in  Christianity. 

2.  Physicians  in  order  to  best  work  should  be 

Christians. 

3.  Medical  Missions.     Why  not  medical  mis- 

sionaries to  city  and  home  fields  ? 

4.  Sickness,  accident  and  old  age  insurance. 

5.  Eelation  of  Christianity  to  inoculation  and 

vivisection  ? 

6.  The  sin  and  crime  of  offering  an  unclean  or 

unfit  self  in  marriage.  Voluntary  celi- 
bacy sometimes  demanded ;  sometimes 
enforced  celibacy  should  be  required. 
Eequirement  of  physician's  certificate  as  a 
prerequisite  to  the  issuing  of  a  marriage 
certificate  is  reasonable. 

7.  Eugenics  aims  at  (1)  prevention  of  disease  ; 

(2)  the  development  of  the  best  manhood. 


PLEASUEE 

L  Jesus'  Pleasures 

1.  Those  of  normal  boyhood  and  young  man- 

hood in  Nazareth. 

2.  ' '  The  Son  of  Man  came  eating  and  drinking  ^  ^ 

(Mt.  xi.  18,  19).  This  in  contrast  to  John 
Baptist  J  even  to  extent  of  criticism  ;  but 
awaited  the  verdict  of  "wisdom." 

3.  Attended  wedding  festivals  (John  ii.  1-11). 

Even  made  wine  to  add  to  the  gladness, 
thus  giving  pleasure. 

4.  Was    present    at    feasts    and   dinners.     In 

Capernaum  (Mk.  ii.  15-17).  It  may  have 
been  in  His  own  house  that  this  feast  was 
given,  though  probably  it  was  Matthew's 
(ver.  15  R  V.  Compare  Mt.  ix.  10).  He 
justifies  Himself  for  eating  with  publicans 
and  sinners.  In  home  of  Simon,  the 
Pharisee  (Lk.  xi.  37-40).  Made  this  din- 
ner an  occasion  for  teaching.  Even  in- 
vited Himself  to  dinner  in  a  rich  man's 
house  (Lk.  xix.  5). 

IL   Christ's  Teachings  Concetning  Pleasure 
1.  He  rejected  fasting  as  a  religious  form,  ex- 
cept for  extraordinary  circumstances  (Mt. 
ix.  14-17). 

52 


Pleasure  53 

2.  True  happiness  is  consistent  with  untoward 

circumstances  (Mt.  v.  3-12). 

3.  Pleasures  may  choke  the  good  seed  in  the 

heart  (Lk.  viii.  14). 

4.  Pleasures  to  be  guarded  against  lest  through 

over-indulgence  they  make  us  unready  for 
the  coming  of  Chi*ist  (Lk.  xxi.  34). 

5.  Present  pleasures  may  bring  future  pain 

(Lk.  vi.  25). 

6.  Pleasure  compensates  not  for  loss  of  the  soul 

(Mt.  xvi.  26). 
Besides  these  specific    teachings    Christ    an- 
nounced certain  principles  which  should 
regulate  pleasures : 

1.  '^All  things  are  clean  unto  you"  (Lk.  xi. 

41). 

2.  "Eender  unto  Csesar  the  things  that  are 

Csesar's ;  and  unto  God  the  things  that 
are  God's"  (Mt.  xxii.  21). 

3.  Love  for  others  (Mt.  v.  44). 

4.  Warning  against  giving  occasion  to  others 

to  sin  (Mt.  xviii.  7). 

Ill*   The  Very  Spirit  of  Christianity  is  Joy 

1.  Angels  announced  *'good  tidings  of  great 

joy    .    .    .    to  all  the  people  "  (Lk.  ii.  10). 

2.  *' Gospel,"   which  means  good  news  (Lk. 

iv.  18). 

3.  Sermon  on  the  Mount — ''Christ's  Inaugu- 

ral"— begins    with    Beatitudes    (Mt.   v. 
3-12). 

4.  Christ's  gift  of  joy  (John  xv.  11). 


54     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

5.  The  first  word  of  the  Eisen  Lord  was  ^'Ee- 
joice'^  (Mt.  xxviii.  9). 

IV.  The  Limits  of  Pleasure  (as  defined  by  Doctor 
Hyde  and  others) 

1.  Pleasure    is   limited  at  the  point  beyond 

which  the  organ  or  faculty  in  pleasurable 
exercise  is  hurt. 

2.  Pleasure  is  limited  at  the  point  where  one 

part  of  our  complex  nature  is  injured  by 
the  pleasurable  exercise  of  another  part. 

3.  Pleasure  is  limited  at  the  point  where  it  is 

bought  or  indulged  at  the  price  of  an- 
other's injury. 
*^  All  pleasure  which  God  cannot  approve  and 
our  fellows  cannot  directly  or  indirectly 
share  is  bad.  All  pleasure  that  comes 
of  healthy  exercise  of  body,  of  rational 
exercise  of  mind,  of  sympathetic  expan- 
sion of  the  affections,  of  strenuous  effort 
of  the  will,  in  just  and  generous  living,  is 
at  the  same  time  a  glorifying  of  God  and 
an  enrichment  of  ourselves.  All  pleasure 
which  sacrifices  the  vigor  of  the  body  to 
the  indulgence  of  some  separate  appetite, 
all  pleasure  which  enslaves  or  depraves 
or  embitters  the  persons  from  whom  it  is 
procured,  all  pleasure  which  breaks  down 
the  sacred  institutions  on  which  society  is 
founded,  is  shameful  and  debasing,  a  sin 
against  God  and  a  wrong  to  our  own 
souls"  (Hyde). 


Pleasure  ^J 

V.  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  The  duty  of  watchfulness  and  prayer  in  our 

pleasures. 

2.  Doubt  of  the  rightfulness  of  a  pleasure  is  its 

prohibition  to  us. 

3.  How  far  should  Christians  enter  into  society 

and  take  part  in  its  pleasures  ?  Examples 
of  Frances  Ridley  Havergal  and  Phillips 
Brooks. 

4.  Apply  Christ's  principles  to  moving  pic- 

tures, the  theater  and  opera. 

5.  How  far  should  the  State  provide  and  regu- 

late public  amusements  ? 

6.  The  right  of  children  to  play. 

7.  An  investment    for   capitalists — in  giving 

pleasures  to  the  poor. 

8.  A  new  crusade  for  Christians.     ^^  Our  fa- 

thers delivered  the  Holy  Land  from  the 
Infidel.  There  is  another  holy  land 
which  brigands,  thieves,  the  profane  pol- 
lute every  day.  It  is  the  land  of  laughter 
and  pleasure.  They  have  so  thoroughly 
ravished  and  disfigured  it  that  it  is  not 
recognizable.  But  by  the  God  of  spring- 
times and  of  the  stars,  by  the  loving  kind- 
ness which  gives  the  fresh  laugh  to  the 
lips  of  children  and  the  sweet  intoxication 
to  the  heart  of  youth,  this  holy  land  shall 
not  remain  in  the  hands  of  infidels.  It  is 
ours,  and  we  will  regain  it "  (Wagner). 


XI 

THE  SABBATH 

(A  Best  Day  for  All) 

L  The  Attitude  of  Christ  towards  the  Sabbath 
as  He  Found  it 

1.  The   Institution  (Gen.   ii.    2,    3).     Among 

other  nations  than  the  Jews;  e.  g.^  the 
Babylonians. 

2.  Legislation  concerning  (Ex.  xx.  8-11,  etc.). 

3.  Abused ;  by  too  many  and  too  strict  laws, 

which  made  the  day  a  burden. 

4.  Abuses  corrected  by  Christ.     Corrections  so 

many  that  to  some  He  seemed  blasphe- 
mous. He  made  so  many  changes  in  the 
traditional  observance  of  the  day  some 
have  inferred  wrongly  that  He  meant  to 
abolish  it.  The  institution  itself  was  pre- 
served by  Christ. 

IL  Teachings  of  Qirist  Concerning  the  Sabbath 

1.  Eeenacted  the  ten  commandments  (Mt.  v. 

17-20).  These  being  ethical  in  their  na- 
ture are  for  all  times  and  peoples. 

2.  The  Son  of  Man  is  Lord  of  the  Sabbath 

(Mk.  ii.  28). 

3.  Declared  the  Sabbath  made  for  man  and 

not  man  for  the  Sabbath  (Mk.  ii.  27). 
The  Sabbath  is  not  an  end,  but  a  means 
56 


The  Sabbath  57 

to  an  end ;  the  end  is  man — the  whole 
man.  The  benefit  to  man  is  the  test  of 
all  Sabbath  laws,  both  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  modern  statute-books, 

4.  Good  works  are  lawful  on  the  Sabbath  (Mt. 

xii.  12). 

5.  Laid  down  the  general  principle  that  God 

''desires  mercy  and  not  sacrifice '^  (Mt. 
ix.  13).  Deeds  of  kindly  service  are  bet- 
ter than  ceremonial  observances  of  days 
and  rituals. 

These  teachings  of  Christ  were  illustrated  and 
enforced  by  His  conduct.  He  kept  the 
Sabbath  habitually  (Lk.  iv.  16).  Yet 
worked  miracles  and  otherwise  broke 
traditional  Sabbath  laws,  and  defended 
Himself  and  His  disciples  in  so  doing 
(John  ix.  Iff.  ;  Lk.  xiii.  10 ff.;  Lk.  xiv. 
1  ff.)-  Went  to  a  festal  meal  on  the  Sab- 
bath (John  xii.  1).  Jesus  thus  kept  all 
the  Sabbath  laws  ''except  where  human 
refinements  hindered  spiritual  service." 

"The  reality  of  the  Sabbath  is  to  be  sought  in 
the  ideal  of  the  Sabbath.  Its  authority  is 
not  formal,  conventional,  repressive  ;  it  is 
human,  enriching,  spiritualizing.  What 
makes  a  man  more  a  man  is  a  Christian 
use  of  the  Sabbath,  but  a  man  is  not  more 
a  man  when  he  is  undevout,  ungirt  or 
torpid.  Jesus  does  not  lower  the  level  of 
the  day  of  rest ;  He  lifts  it,  and  it  be- 
comes a  real  day  of  the  Lord  through 


58     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

its  revival  of  the  ideal  life  of  a  man" 
(Peabody). 

in.  The  Sabbath,  in  its  Social  Value,  One  of 
God's  Best  Gifts  to  Man 

1.  To  man  as  an  individual.    To  body  ;  mind  ; 

spirit.  Weariness,  broken  health,  inefS.- 
ciencj^  and  premature  death  are  the  results 
of  work  through  the  seven  days.  ''The 
Sabbath,  having  been  ordained  at  Crea- 
tion (Gen.  ii.  2,  3),  its  roots  are  grounded 
in  the  necessity  of  the  human  constitu- 
tion ;  and  it  must  last  as  long  as  man  is 
what  he  now  is." 

2.  To  man  as  member  of  family.     ' '  The  Home 

Day." 

3.  To  man  as  member  of  the  State.     ''The 

Weekly  Independence  Day."  "On  it 
every  employee  should  be  allowed  to  come 
out  from  under  human  mastership  and 
stand  erect,  with  no  master  but  God,  and 
devote  the  day  to  the  culture  of  intelli- 
gence and  conscientiousness  and  the  spirit 
of  equality,  which  are  the  necessities  of 
life  in  a  republic"  (Crafts).  France,  in 
the  Revolution,  found  it  unwise  to  try  to 
do  without  the  State.  Japan  adopted  the 
Sunday  rest  day  in  1876 ;  Korea  a  few 
years  later. 

4.  To  man  as  a  member  of  Society.     The  Sab- 

bath is  necessary  to  the  ethicizing  of  social 
relations  and  obligations. 


The  Sabbath  59 

5.  To  man  as  a  child  of  God- 
Two  things  follow :  (1)  Jesus,  in  insisting  on 
Sabbath  observance,  is  the  best  friend  of 
tired  toilers;  (2)  he  who  advocates  the 
abolition  of  the  Sabbath  or  its  lax  observ- 
ance is  no  friend  to  men. 


IV*    Application  of  Christ's  Teachings 

1.  To  Sunday  labor,  voluntary  or  enforced. 

Twenty  per  cent,  of  American  workmen 
toil  through  seven  days. 

2.  To  Sunday  entertainments,  amusements,  rec- 

reations, etc.  Should  the  State  and  the 
Church  provide  these  ? 

3.  To  church  attendance. 

V*   Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  Greed  the  supreme  enemy  of  the  Sabbath : 

the  employer's  greed ;  the  employee's. 
*' Seven  days'  work  is  a  disgrace  to  the 
worker,  the  concern  for  which  he  works, 
the  nation  and  the  Church." 

2.  Acquaint  yourself  with  the  Sabbath  laws 

of  your  own  state.  Should  new  laws  be 
enacted ;  if  so,  what  laws  ?  The  State 
should  declare  a  six  days'  work  week  as 
the  maximum. 

3.  Include  instruction  in  the  public  schools 

about  the  Sabbath  as  instruction  about 
temperance  is  now  included. 

4.  What  is  the  economic  value  of  the  Sabbath  f 


6o     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

Its  effect  upon  the  efficiency  of  land,  ma- 
chinery, beasts  of  burden,  men  ? 

5.  The  cry  of  many  to-day  for  a  rest  day — 

barbers,   trainmen,   postmen,  actors,  etc. 
Let  them  have  it ! 

6.  Describe  what  you  think  an  ideal  way  of 

spending  the  Sabbath. 


XII 
THE  SALOON  AND  THE  DEINK  TEAFFIC 

L  The  Practice  of  Christ  Jesus  in  the  Use  of  Wine 

1.  He  drank  wine,  the  light  wine  of  the  coun- 

try, as  did  the  people  of  His  day,  at 
common  and  festival  meals  (Lk.  vii.  34 ; 
V.  29,  30).  This  wine  very  different  from 
the  stronger  wines  and  other  drinks  of 
His  time  and  ours.  It  was  the  Jewish 
custom  to  use  light  wines  at  meals,  and 
Jesus  followed  the  custom.  Had  it  been 
the  custom  then  to  use  strong  drinks,  as 
it  is  now  and  with  us,  Jesus  beyond  doubt 
would  not  have  conformed,  but  would 
have  resisted.  No  argument  can  be  based 
on  this  for  the  rightfulness  of  the  drink- 
ing customs  of  to-day. 

2.  He  turned  water  into  wine  at  Cana's  wed- 

ding feast  (John  ii.  1-11).  We  may  be 
sure  that  Christ's  wine  would  not  hurt 
those  for  whom  He  made  it. 

3.  He  used  wine  in  the  institution  of  the  Lord's 

Supper  (Mt.  xxvi.  26-29). 

Remarks 

1.  This  practice  of  Jesus  argues  no  blindness  to 

or  disregard  of  the  dangers  in  the  use  of 

wine,  even  light  wine.     He  warns  against 

the  danger  (Lk.  xxi.  34)  ;  holds  up  drink- 

61 


62     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

ing  servants  to  reprobation  (Lk.  xii.  45)  ; 
counsels  watchfulness  and  prayer  against 
all  forms  of  temptation  (Mt.  xxvi.  41). 

2.  While  arguments  for  the  right  to  use  the 

kind  of  wine  which  Christ  used  and  as  Christ 
used  it  may  be  based  upon  His  practice, 
yet  it  is  vastly  better  and  in  accord  with 
the  whole  spirit  of  Christ's  life  and  teach- 
ings, in  view  of  the  wrong  uses  made  of 
wine  to-day,  its  greater  danger  of  leading 
to  the  use  of  strong  drink,  and  the  fearful 
ravages  which  alcohol  in  all  forms  is 
working  in  the  modern  world,  to  forego 
the  right  for  the  sake  of  self  and  others 
and  touch  no  wine  at  all.  It  is  at  most 
the  surrender  of  a  slight  personal  pleasure 
for  the  safeguarding  of  multitudes  against 
a  real  peril.  The  supreme  principle  and 
practice  of  Christ  Jesus  is  self-denial  for 
the  good  of  others. 

3.  The  saloon  and  drink  traffic  of  to-day  a 

more  serious  and  consequential  problem 
than  in  Christ's  time.  The  saloon  en- 
courages, fosters  and  creates  a  thirst  for 
strong  drink,  is  altogether  a  social  and 
moral  evil  and  menace,  and  demands  the 
utmost  effort  of  all  men  to  abolish  it. 

IL   Principles  and  Sayings  of  Christ  Jesus  which 
Oppose  the  Saloon  and  Liquor  Traffic 
1.  The  very  mission  of  Jesus,  who  came  ^'to 
preach  good  tidings  to  the  poor  ;  to  pro- 


The  Saloon  and  the  Drink  Traffic     63 

claim  release  for  captives ;  to  set  at  liberty 
them  that  are  bruised ' '  (Lk.  iv.  14-21). 

2.  The    Ten    Commandments,    reenacted    by- 

Christ,  the  violation  of  which  the  saloon 
aids  and  abets.  Take  as  examples  the 
third,  sixth  and  seventh  commandments. 

3.  The  Lord's  Prayer  ;  especially  the  petitions, 

"Thy  Kingdom  come,"  "Thy  will  be 
done,"  "Lead  not  into  temptation." 

4.  The  Great  Commission  (Mt.  xxviii.  19,  20). 

5.  The  precept  of  perfection  (Mt.  v.  48). 

6.  Warning  against  causing  self  or  others  to 

stumble  (Mt.  xviii.  5-14).  Compare  Eo- 
mans  xiv. 

7.  Love  for  neighbors  as  for  self  (Mt.  xix.  19). 

8.  Against  wastefulness  (John  vi.  12). 

9.  Counsels  to  readiness  for  Christ's  coming 

(Lk.  xii.  35-40). 


UL  Unsocial  Aspects  of  the  Saloon  and  Drink 
Traffic  which  G)nflict  with  the  Principles 
of  Christ 

1.  Lowers  the  quality  of  manhood. 

2.  Bears  most  heavily  on  defenceless  women 

and  children. 

3.  Breeds  lust  and  profanity  and  other  crimes. 

4.  Corrupts  politics  ;  city,  state,  national. 

5.  Is  economically  wasteful. 

6.  Breeds  poverty.     To  what  extent  is  poverty 

an  effect  or  a  cause  of  drink  ? 

7.  Lowers  the  wages  of  working  men.    Work- 


64     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

ing  men  are  of  all  classes  most  hurt  by 
the  liquor  traffic. 

8.  Fosters  ' '  the  Trust. "     '  <  There  is  a  Brewers' 

Trust  and  a  Distillers'  Trust,  and  between 
them  they  not  only  manufacture  the  great 
bulk  of  the  liquor  made,  but  control  the 
retail  trade. '' 

9.  Slays  more  than  the  combined  wrongs  of 

war,  famine  and  pestilence. 
10.  Hinders  and  counteracts  the  social  gospel  in 

non-Christian  lands. 
^^  Eighty  per  cent,  of  all  social  ills  are  due  to 

drink,"  while  it  does  not  relieve  or  meet 

one  single  want  of  man. 

IV.  Arguments  against  the  Abolition  of  the  Sa- 

loon and  Liquor  Traffic 

1.  "  Curtails  personal  liberty. "   ^  *  The  greatest 

curtailment  of  individual  liberty  in  his- 
tory is  the  ten  commandments.^^ 

2.  "Will    throw   multitudes  out  of  employ- 

ment." 

3.  *'Will  affect  the  property  rights  of  others." 

4.  ''  The  saloon  the  Working  Man's  Club." 

5.  "A  moral  evil  cannot  be  cured  by  law." 

6.  "  Prohibition  does  not  prohibit." 

V.  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  Should  fermented  wine  be  used  in  the  Lord's 

Supper  ? 

2.  Should  Christians  rent  property  for  saloon 

use? 


The  Saloon  and  the  Drink  Traffic     65 

3.  Should    the    army  ' '  canteen ' '  be  reestab- 

lished by  the  United  States  ? 

4.  Should  liquor  manufacturers  or  sellers  be 

received  into  church  membership  ? 

5.  Better  temperance  instruction  should  be  re- 

quired in  day-  and  Sunday-schools. 

6.  The  quickest  way  to  enlist  all  men  in  the 

fight  against  liquor  is  to  make  it  un- 
profitable. 

7.  Should    Christian    people    advocate   State 

Ownership,  High  License,  National  Pro- 
hibition, State  Prohibition,  or  Local  Op- 
tion? 

8.  The  most  terrible  enemy  that  our  country 

has  to  fear  is  Drink  ! 

9.  The  tap-root  of  the  drink  habit  and  traffic 

is  Sin.  The  only  effective  remedy  is 
Christ ! 


XIII 

DIVOEOE 

The  Teaching  of  Christ 

Fuller  and  more  explicit  than  His  teaching  on 
any  other  social  problem  (Mt.  v.  31,  32  ;  xix. 
3-12  ;  Mk.  X.  2-12  ;  Lk.  xvi.  18).     Analysis  : 

1.  Pharisees'  question  (Mt.  xix.  3),  ^'  Is  it  law- 
ful to  put  away  one's  wife  on  any  pretext  ?  " 
Had  to  do  with  the  causes  for  divorce, 
divorce  itself  they  thought  sanctioned  by 
Mosaic  law  (Dent.  xxiv.  1-4). 

2.  Christ's  answer. 

(1)  Eefers  to  pre- Mosaic  constitution  of  mar- 
riage, based  upon  the  nature  of  man  and 
woman,  as  an  indissoluble  bond ;  consti- 
tuted such  by  God  at  man's  creation  (Mt. 
xix.  4-6a). 

(2)  Adds  His  own  prohibition  of  the  tie's 
disruption  (Mt.  xix.  6b). 

(3)  Declares  the  Mosaic  sanction  of  divorce 
inimical  to  the  original  divine  constitu- 
tion of  marriage  (Mt.  xix.  8b)  ;  explains 
that  it  was  an  accommodation  (Mt.  xix. 
8a),  and  therefore  faulty  and  temporary. 

(4)  Declares  divorce  allowable  for  but  one 
cause  (Mt.  xix.  9a).    Note  that  in  Mark's 

66 


Divorce  67 

earlier  gospel  (Mk.  x.  11),  and  Luke's 
later  (Lk.  xvi.  18)  no  exception  is  made 
in  the  prohibition  of  divorce. 

(5)  Adds  that  a  man  who  divorces  his  wife 
and  marries  another  is  an  adulterer  (Mt. 
xix.  9a;  Mk.  x.  11;  Lk.  xvi.  18a);  a 
woman  who  divorces  her  husband  and 
marries  another  is  an  adulteress  (Mk.  x. 
12);  he  (she)  who  marries  a  divorced 
woman  (man)  commits  adultery  (Lk. 
xvi.  18b  ;  Mt.  v.  32b). 

(6)  Answers  disciples'  difficulty  :  implying 
that  marriage  in  first  instance  is  not  obli- 
gatory ;  better  for  some  people  to  remain 
unmarried  ;  but  once  married  the  bond  is 
indissoluble  till  death,  save  for  one  cause 
(Mt.  xix.  10-12).  '^The  alternatives  are 
permanent  union  in  marriage  or  perma- 
nent purity  out  of  marriage  "  (Peabody). 


Remarks 

1.  "Human  law  did  not  create,  and  therefore 

cannot    annul    marriage.      It    can    only 
recognize  and  protect  it. ' ' 

2.  Christ  holds  up  for  both  sexes  one  standard 

in  requirement  and  penalty. 

3.  "Divorce  regarded  by  Jesus  as  impossible, 

except  as  a  formal  recognition  of  a  union 
already  broken ''  by  unchastity. 

4.  The  alone  ground  for  divorce  allowed  by 

Jesus  stands  in  total  opposition  to  the 


68     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

many  grounds  recognized  to-day,  as  many 
as  twelve  in  some  states. 
5.  Separation  in  some  cases  may  be  right  and 
wise  ;  but  not  divorce. 

!!♦  Social  Ill-Effects  of  Divorce 

1.  Upon    the    parties    to    the  divorce :  hurt 

hearts ;  shadowed  lives ;  temptation  to 
unchastity. 

2.  Upon    the    children  of  divorced  parents : 

economical,  intellectual,  moral,  spiritual. 

3.  Upon  the  family  as  an  institution. 

4.  Upon  society.     '' Biologically  the  family  is 

the  primary  cell  of  the  whole  social  or- 
ganism." ''The  loosening  of  the  mar- 
riage tie  is  the  premonition  of  a  general 
landslide  of  social  morality"  (Peabody). 

5.  Upon  the  State  and  the  Church,  the  unit 

of  which  is,  not  the  individual  but  the 
family. 

in.  Causes  of  Divorce 

1.  Money  :  marriage  for  money  ;  failure  to  pro- 

vide ;  extravagance,  etc. 

2.  Non-ownership  of  homes.     Majority  of  di- 

vorces are  of  persons  living  in  apartments, 
boarding-houses,  hotels. 

3.  Brink.     One-fifth  of  all  divorces  have  to  do 

with  drink. 

4.  Voluntary  childlessness. 

5.  Impurity. 

6.  Irreligion. 


Divorce  69 

IV*  Preventives  of  Divorce 

1.  Improved  marriage  laws. 

2.  Early  marriage.     Statistics  prove  fewer  di- 

vorces among  those  married  early  in  life. 

3.  Instruction  in  the  domestic  arts  and  the 

care  of  the  home. 

4.  Eeligion  in  the  home.     ^'  No  two  Christians, 

who  have  caught  and  kept  alive  the  Chris- 
tian spirit  in  the  married  state  ever  were 
or  ever  will  be,  ever  wished  to  be  or  can 
be  divorced"  (Hyde).  The  home  altar, 
forgiveness,  reconciliation,  forbearance. 

5.  Punishment  by  law  for  husbands  who  fail 

to  provide  for  support  of  wife. 

6.  National    uniform    divorce    law.      Present 

diversity  of  laws.  Some  things  the  na- 
tional law  should  include :  (1)  One 
ground  only  for  divorce ;  (2)  definite 
time  between  grant  of  divorce  and  remar- 
riage, even  of  innocent  party ;  (3)  forbid 
remarriage  of  co-respondent  or  guilty  di- 
vorcee ;  (4)  publicity  in  all  divorce  trials 
and  decrees  ;  (5)  restriction  of  number  of 
divorce  courts  to  two  or  three  in  each 
state,  etc. 


V*  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  Should  ministers  remarry  divorced  persons'? 

2.  Should  a  Christian  marry  a  non-Christian  ? 

3.  Is  the  Eoman  Catholic  Church  right  or  con- 

sistent in  the  matter  of  divorce  f 


70     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

4.  Study  the  divorce  laws  and  statistics  of  your 

state. 

5.  The  influence  of  "  Feminism^'  on  marriage 

and  divorce. 

6.  ^^  How  to  be  happy  though  married." 

7.  Needed!     ^'Heroic  fideUty  to  an  ideal." 


XIV 

THE  SOCIAL  EVIL 

L  The  White  Christ 
Himself  without  sin  (John  viil.  46),  He  is  the 
example  of  and  the  inspiration  to  purity. 

IL  Teachings  of  Qirist  Jesus  which  Oppose 
the  Social  Evil  (1)  Fatherhood  of  God ; 
(2)  brotherhood  of  men  ;  (3)  each  a  neigh- 
bor to  all ;  (4)  Golden  Eule  j  (6)  the  re- 
enacted  commandments,  including  the 
seventh ;  (6)  the  counsel  to  perfection 
(Mt.  V.  48)5  (7)  purity  of  heart  a  condition 
of  seeing  God  (Mt.  v.  8);  (8)  inward  lust  a 
sin  (Mt.  V.  27-30);  (9)  warning  against 
causing  another  to  sin. 
Christ  taught,  not  celibacy,  but  chastity, 
chastity  in  and  out  of  marriage.  Mar- 
ried life,  according  to  Christ's  teachings, 
is  the  normal  state  for  adult  man. 
*' Chastity  is  not  a  virtue  pertaining  to 
one  condition  of  life.  There  may  be  un- 
chastity  within  the  marriage  bond,  and 
even  in  the  condition  of  celibacy.  There 
is,  on  the  other  hand,  no  purer  chastity 
than  in  the  union  of  chaste  lives.  Chastity 
is  such  maintenance  of  the  body  that  it 
71 


72     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

shall  be  the  willing  and  effective  servant 
of  the  Christian  character  ;  and  unchastity 
is  the  domination  by  lust  and  appetite  of 
a  life  which  should  be  the  instrument  of 
the  Kingdom  of  God.  Celibacy  takes  ac- 
count of  the  immediate  virtue  of  the  single 
life.  Chastity  contemplates  the  future  and 
presents  to  another  life,  for  whom  it  would 
gladly  sacrifice  itself,  an  unstained  body, 
fit  to  be  an  offering  of  love.  It  takes  ac- 
count of  one  who  is  yet  unloved,  and  of 
others  who  are  as  yet  unborn"  (Peabody). 

EL   The  Guilt  of  the  Social  Sin 

1.  Against   the  individual  who  commits  it : 

body,  mind,  soul. 

2.  It    involves   directly    another,    or    others. 

^*The  reason  why  a  true-hearted,  noble 
man  cannot  walk  in  the  ways  of  licen- 
tiousness is  not  the  selfish  fear  of  phys- 
ical contamination  or  social  reprobation. 
It  is  because  he  cannot  take  pleasure  in 
the  banishment  of  a  daughter  from  the 
household  of  her  father  ;  in  the  infamy  of 
one  who  might  have  been  a  pure  sister  in 
a  happy  home  ;  in  the  degradation  of  one 
who  ought  to  be  a  wife,  proud  of  the  love 
of  a  good  man  and  happy  in  the  sweet 
joys  of  motherhood  "  (Hyde). 

3.  Involves  often  through  physical  contamina- 

tion others,  even  the  innocent. 

4.  Involves  through  heredity  unborn  children. 


The  Social  Evil  73 

Inherited  indirect  results  are  "  blindness, 
paralysis,  feeble- mindedness,  imbecility, 
malformations,  organic  diseases  of  many 
kinds. " 

5.  Undermines    the   institutions    of  marriage 

and  the  family. 

6.  Involves  the  nation  in  its  purity  of  blood 

and  moral  fiber. 

IV^  Causes  of  the  Social  Evil 

1.  Ignorance.      The    unwisdom    of   keeping 

children  ignorant  of  sex,  its  dangers,  etc. 

2.  Poverty,  especially  the  underpay  of  girls 

and  women. 

3.  Improper  housing  conditions,  which  render 

privacy  and  modesty  impossible. 

4.  Fatigue  from  overwork. 

5.  The  double  standard  of  morals. 

6.  Sin    in    the    heart.     This  the  first   cause. 

Nothing  but  Christ's  regeneration  of  in- 
dividual men  and  women  will  remove  or 
lessen  the  evil. 

V»  Institutions  that  Foster  the  Social  Evil 

1.  The  saloon  and  the  liquor  traf&c.     "  A  care- 

ful scientist  has  called  alcohol  the  indis- 
pensable vehicle  of  the  business  trans- 
acted by  the  slave-traders,  and  has  asserted 
that  without  its  use  this  trade  cannot  long 
continue  "  (Addams). 

2.  Public  dance-halls. 


74     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

3.  Picture  show  places. 

4.  Unguarded  public  parks  and  other  recrea- 

tion grounds. 

5.  "A  standing  army  and  navy  is  a  standing 

invitation  to  vice  "  (Vedder). 

VL  The  Social  Evil  is  Preeminently  Man's  Sin — 
not  Woman's 
For  every  fallen  woman  there  are  five  fallen 
men.  Men  support  it.  Men  excuse  it. 
Commercialized  vice  is  a  business  organized 
and  operated  and  patronized  chiefly  by  men, 
and  to  men  go  most  of  the  profits. 

Vn.  Preventives  of  the  Social  Evil 

1.  Social  ostracism  of  the  fallen  man,  as  now 

of  the  fallen  woman. 

2.  Education,  in  which  parents,  teachers,  Sun- 

day-school teachers  and  pastors  work  to- 
gether. 

3.  Inculcation  of  reverence  for  man,  for  self 

and  others.  ' '  Eeverence  is  the  root  from 
which  purity  grows.'' 

4.  Strict    surveillance    of   amusement  places, 

theaters,  picture  shows,  playgrounds ; 
closer  guard  of  boys  and  girls  on  the 
streets. 

5.  Exclusion  of  children  from  all  night  work, 

and  minors  from  street  trades  and  work 
in  the  theaters. 

6.  Legislation.     Stricter    laws    with   severer 


The  Social  Evil  75 

penalties.  Laws  that  bear  equally  on 
men  and  women.  Better  laws  against 
solicitors.  Severer  treatment  of  white 
slavers.  *  *  Legal  elimination  of  the  money 
profit."  Eigid  enforcement  of  the  law 
by  police,  courts  and  sheriffs. 

VUI.   Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  The  utter  guilt  of  indifference  to  the  mag- 

nitude and  sinfulness  of  the  social  vice. 

2.  The  social  evil  is  not  necessary  or  inevitable. 

3.  Study    the    tenderness  with   which  Christ 

Jesus  treated  fallen  women  (John  vii. 
50-viii.  11). 

4.  Should  the  social  evil  be  licensed  ?    What 

is  the  practical  value  of  segregation  ? 
6.  "  Where  shall  we  look  to  recruit  the  ever- 
failing  ranks  of  these  poor  creatures  as 
they  die  yearly  by  the  tens  of  thousands? 
Which  of  the  little  girls  of  our  land  shall 
we  designate  for  this  traf&c  ?  Mark  their 
sweet  innocence  as  to-day  they  run  about 
in  our  streets  and  parks  prattling  and 
playing,  ever  busy  about  nothing  ;  which 
of  them  shall  we  snatch  as  they  approach 
maturity  to  supply  this  foul  mart?" 
(Dr.  Howard  Kelly,  quoted  by  Jane 
Addams). 


XV 
PEISONEES  AND  CEIMINALS 

L   Christ  Jesus  as  a  Prisoner 

Wrongly  arrested  j  ill-treated  while  under 
arrest;  falsely  tried;  unjustifiably  con- 
victed; put  to  cruel  death  (Mt.  xxvi.  47- 
xxviii.  56  ;  Mk.  xiv.  43-xv.  41 ;  Lk.  xxii. 
47-xxiii.  49 ;  John  xviii.  1-xix.  37). 

His  consequent  sympathy  for  all  prisoners. 

IL   Qirist  Jesus*  Treatment  of  Prisoners 

{1)  John  Baptist  (Mt.  xi.  2-15;  Lk.  vii. 
18-28)  ;  (2)  The  Sinful  Woman  (John  viii. 
1-11) ;  (3)  Thief  on  the  Cross  (Lk.  xxiii. 
39-43). 
Mark  this  discriminating  judgment  and  treat- 
ment of  prisoners :  His  patience  with  John 
Baptist  in  his  depression  and  consequent 
doubt,  and  His  commendation  of  him ;  His 
admission  of  the  guilt  of  the  sinful  woman 
(and  His  confusion  of  her  guilty  accusers) 
and  the  thief  on  the  Cross,  and  His  pardon 
of  both. 
No  duty  is  more  urgent  than  careful  dis- 
crimination in  judgment  of  and  dealing 
with  prisoners.  Not  all  prisoners  are  crim- 
76 


Prisoners  and  Criminals  77 

inals,  and    not  all  who  commit  the  same 
crime  are  equally  guilty. 


IIL   Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus  which  Bear  upon 
the  Treatment  of  Prisoners  and  Criminals 

1.  General :  (1)  The  worth  of  a  man,  even  the 

criminal  as  a  child  of  God  (Mt.  vi.  9),  a 
brother  (Mt.  xxiii.  8)  and  a  neighbor 
(Lk.  X.  25-37) ;  (2)  the  Golden  Eule 
(Mt.  vii.  12)  ;  (3)  the  beatitude  of  merci- 
fulness (Mt.  V.  7)  ;  (4)  love  of  enemies 
(Mt.  V.  43-48). 

2.  Special :  (1)  His  mission  is  to  them  (Lk.  iv. 

18)  ;  (2)  He  rewards  kindnesses  done  them 
(Mt.  XXV.  34-46) ;  (3)  He  identifies  Him- 
self with  them  (Mt.  xxv.  40,  45). 
The  humaner  treatment  of  prisoners  and  crimi- 
nals to-day  and  in  Christian  countries  is 
directly  due  to  the  teachings  and  example 
of  Christ  Jesus. 

IV.  Some  Prolific  Causes  of  Crime 

The  ultimate  cause  in  every  case  is  an  evil 
heart,  a  heart  of  selfishness  and  self-will. 
Any  study  of  criminology  which  does  not 
recognize  this  tap-root  is  defective. 

Next  to  this  the  two  general  causes  are : 
(1)  heredity,  as  in  the  case  of  the  thieving 
tendency,  morbidity,  etc.;  (2)  environment, 
as  in  the  slum  or  the  sweat-shop. 

Besides  these  are  specific  causes  which  are  to  a 


78     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

large  extent  both  preventable  and  remedi- 
able: 

1.  Ignorance  ;  particularly  is  this  true  of  mis- 

deeds of  children. 

2.  Idleness ;  equally  of  the  idle  rich  and  the 

idle  poor. 

3.  Poverty  j  as,  e.  g.^  the  wrong  deeds  of  under- 

paid shop  girls  and  factory  women. 

4.  Sex  ;  especially  among  the  rich. 

6.  Drink  and  drugs;  it  is  estimated  that 
seventy-five  per  cent,  of  all  crime  is  due 
to  drink. 

6.  Life  on  the  streets ;  accustoming  the  inno- 
cent to  the  sight  of  crime,  to  temptation, 
and  the  consequent  dulling  of  the  moral 
sense. 


V^   Stages  in  the  Lives  of  Prisoners  and  Criminals 
which  should  be  Marked  and  Determine 
Treatment 
1.  While  under  arrest  and  awaiting  trial :  pre- 
sumed   innocent    until    proved    guilty ; 
separation    of  juveniles    and  adults,   of 
''first-timers ' '  and  former  offenders  ;  non- 
imprisonment  of  children  but  supervision 
by  probation  officers.     "  Probation  has 
saved  many  of  both  sexes  from  exposure, 
shame,    and    loss  of  situation,    in  cases 
where    they  had    committed    their   first 
offense,  and  not  only  saved  them  for  the 
time  being,  but  for  all  time." 


Prisoners  and  Criminals  79 

2.  While  on  trial. 

3.  Under  conviction  and  while  serving  sen- 

tence :  clean  prisons  and  wholesome  food ; 
reasonable  recreation  and  amusement ; 
assignment  to  some  trade  and  pay  for 
work  done  (this  for  the  support  of  the 
family  while  deprived  of  its  wage-earner, 
and  for  the  accumulation  of  a  fuud  with 
which  to  begin  life  anew  after  dis- 
charge) ;  an  indeterminate  sentence  j  edu- 
cation (prison  thus  being  made  what 
Doctor  Yedder  calls  "  the  university  of  an- 
other chance ' ')  j  social  worship  of  God  ; 
in  some  cases  parole  on  good  behavior. 

4.  After  release :  help  in  finding  employment 

and  beginning  life  anew ;  protection  and 
encouragement  by  the  church ;  each  dis- 
charged prisoner  might  well  be  taken 
under  brotherly  oversight  by  an  indi- 
vidual established  Christian. 

Yl*  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  What  is  the  end  of  punishment :  protection 

of  society  ;  deterrence  of  crime ;  salvation 
of  the  criminal  ? 

2.  Importance  of  a  true  terminology  as  a  de- 

terrent of  crime.  Call  certain  sins  by 
their  true  names  and  they  will  not  be 
so  lightly  committed:  '^ falsehood"  vs. 
*Mie";  ^<  defalcation"  vs.  ^^  theft";  ''in- 
discretion "  vs.  *'  adultery  "  ;  "  divorce  " 
vs.  "adultery." 


8o     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

3.  '*We  must  make  it  so  that  the  poor  man 

will  have  as  nearly  as  possible  an  equal 
opportunity  in  litigation  with  the  rich 
man :  and  under  present  conditions, 
ashamed  as  we  may  be  of  it,  this  is  not 
the  fact  "  (Taft,  quoted  by  Vedder). 

4.  Study  the  relation  of  crime  to :  (1)  non- 

religious  instruction  in  the  public  schools; 

(2)  moving-picture  shows  and  low  the- 
aters; (3)  the  publicity  given  by  the 
press  to  the  details  of  criminal  acts; 
(4)  abuse  of  the  pardoning  power. 

5.  Is  lynch-law  effective  or  justifiable  I 

6.  What    is    the  proportion  of  criminals  of 

native  to  those  of  foreign  born  Ameri- 
cans ;  and  why  the  difference  ? 

7.  Criminals  who  destroy  law  are  more  guilty 

and  dangerous  than  those  who  break 
laws.  ^^We  often  find  three  classes  con- 
stituting an  oligarchy.  (1)  Saloon-keepers, 
gamblers,  and  others  who  engage  in 
business  that  degrades.  (2)  Contractors, 
capitalists,  bankers  and  others  who  can 
make  money  by  getting  franchises  and 
other  property  of  the  community  cheaper 
by  bribery  than  by  paying  the  community. 

(3)  Politicians,  policemen  and  judges  who 
are  willing  to  seek  and  accept  ofiB.ce  with 
the  aid  and  endorsement  of  the  classes 
already  mentioned.  These  three  classes 
combine  and  get  control  of  the  party 
machine.     They  nominate  and  elect  men 


Prisoners  and  Criminals  8 1 

who  will  agree  to  help  them  rob  the  city 
or  state  for  the  benefit  of  themselves  and 
who  will  agree  also  not  to  enforce  the  laws 
in  regard  to  the  various  businesses  that 
degrade  a  community.  These  constitute 
a  class  of  criminals  very  different  from 
ordinary  criminals  who  break  laws. 
These  men  destroy  law. ' '  (Abridged  from 
S.  S.  McClure.) 


XVI 
WAR 

L   Christ  Jesus  **  the  Prince  of  Peace  ^  (Is.  ix.  6) 

1.  His  advent  in  a  time  of  universal  peace. 

2.  His  mission  one  of  peace  and  good  will  to 

all  men  (Lk.  ii.  14). 

II*  General   Teachings  of  Christ    Jesus   which 
Oppose  War 
Preliminary  to  the  study  of  these  we  must  in- 
sist upon  a  single  standard  of  ethics  for 
the  individual  and  the  nation. 

1.  Fatherhood  of  God  (Mt.  vi.  9 ;  v.  45). 

2.  Brotherhood  of  man  (Mt.  vi.  9 ;  xxiii.  8. 

Compare  Acts  xvii.  26). 

3.  Neighborship  (Mt.  xxii.  39;  Lk.  x.  29  ff.). 

4.  Sanctity  of  human  life  (Mt.  xii.  12  j  xvi.  26). 

5.  Forgiveness  (Mt.  vi.  14,  15;  xviii.  21  ff.). 

6.  Economy  (John  vi.  12). 

7.  Arbitration  of  disputes  (Mt.  xviii.  15  ff.). 

8.  Love  for  enemies  (Mt.  v.  43-48). 

9.  The  means  of  establishing  God's  Kingdom 

in  the  world  is  not  force  (John  xviii.  36). 
10.  The  whole  spirit  of  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
and  certain  definite  petitions :  ''  Father, '^ 
^'Our,"  ^^Thy  Kingdom  Come,"  ''Thy 
will  be  done,"  ''Give  daily  bread,"  "For- 
give as  we  forgive,"  "  Deliver  from  evil,'* 
*^ Thine  the  glory,"  etc. 
82 


War  83 

IIL  Special  Attention  should  be  Given  to  Qir ist's 
Law  of  Non-Resistance 

1.  The  law  (Mt.  v.  39-41). 

2.  Given  in  opposition   to  Mosaic  ^'lex  tali- 

onis"  (Mt.  V.  38). 

3.  Meaning  and  scope.     No  physical  opposi- 

tion to  adverse  evil  forces ;  rather,  over- 
come evil  with  good.  Eeconcile  with  cer- 
tain sayings  of  Christ  (Mt.  x.  34  ;  Lk.  xxii. 
36.  Compare  Mt.  xxvi.  52)  ;  with  the  con- 
duct of  Christ  (John  ii.  13  ff.  ;  Lk.  xix.  45). 

In  the  light  of  this  teaching  all  wars  for  venge- 
ance and  conquest  are  wrong ;  wars  for 
defence,  principle,  protection  of  the  weak 
and  helpless  may  be  right  as  a  last  des- 
perate resort. 

Does  the  charge  of  ''cowardice"  in  the  non- 
resistance  of  evil  make  one  a  coward! 
i^eeded,  a  new  courage  ! 

IV*   The  Unsocial  Effects  of  War 

''War  converts  mankind  into  two  classes: 
beasts  of  prey,  or  beasts  of  burden.  ^^ 
"War  is  hell. '^ 

V*   Some  Things  that  Need  to  be  Refuted 

1.  Alleged   justifications    of   war :    (1)  As    a 

school  for  the  culture  of  manhood  ;  (2)  as 
a  means  for  progress  of  freedom ;  (3)  as 
means  for  intervention  in  behalf  of  others  ; 
(4)  in  accord  with  natural  law  of  survival 
of  fittest. 

2.  "War  is  inevitable."     Grant's  testimony: 


84     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

*^  Although  I  have  been  trained  as  a  sol- 
dier, and  have  participated  in  many 
battles,  there  never  was  a  time  when,  in 
my  opinion,  some  way  could  not  have 
been  found  of  preventing  the  drawing  of 
the  sword.''  One  hundred  years  of  peace 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  United 
States  the  proof  of  the  possibility  and  ad- 
vantages of  international  peace. 

VL   Some  Preventives  of  Future  "Wars 

1.  Study  of  real  causes  of  most  modern  wars : 

(1)  Racial  antagonism ;  (2)  national  tra- 
ditions and  ideals  ;  (3)  greed  ;  (4)  vanity  ; 
(5)  class  interests. 

2.  Realize,  not  idealize  war  as  we  do  now. 

3.  Exalt  in  literature,  art,  oratory,  the  heroes 

and  victories  of  peace,  rather  than  of  war 
as  now. 

4.  A  new  conception  of  ^^  Old  Glory." 

5.  Expose  the  shame  of  war.     War  is  shame- 

ful to  all  directly  or  indirectly,  nearly  or 
remotely  concerned  in  it. 

6.  Establishment  of  (1 )  an  international  court 

of  arbitration  ;  (2)  police  ;  (3)  army. 

7.  Disarmament  by  nations.    Armament  a  bur- 

den, a  temptation,  a  menace.  Venture 
something  for  God ! 

VIL  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  Should  military  organizations  of  boys  and 
men — *' brigades,"  etc. — be  allowed  in 
connection  with  the  church  ? 


War  85 

2.  Should  the  Panama  Canal  be  fortified  ? 

3.  What  ground  is  there  for  the  alleged  failure 

of  Christianity  to  prevent  war  ? 

4.  Christ  died  to  defeat  wrong ;  did  not  organ- 

ize a  war  against  it. 

5.  The  cultivation  of  peace  the  first  and  chiei 

duty  of  our  times.  A  call  to  stop  war  to 
(1)  women  ;  (2)  bankers  and  financiers ; 
(3)  laboring  men  ;  (4)  manufacturers  and 
merchants  ;  (5)  newspaper  men  ;  (6)  liter- 
ary men ;  (7)  teachers  ;  (8)  military  men  ; 
(9)  preachers  5  (10)  all  Christians.  Let 
these  refuse  to  take  up  arms;  nations 
would  then  find  other  ways  of  settling 
their  quarrels. 
**  Straightway  the  word  ^  Fire  ! '  is  given  ;  and 
they  blow  the  souls  out  of  one  another ; 
and  in  place  of  sixty  brisk,  useful  crafts- 
men, the  world  has  sixty  dead  carcases, 
which  it  must  bury  and  anew  shed  tears 
for.  Had  these  men  any  quarrel  ?  Busy 
as  the  Devil  is,  not  the  smallest !  They 
lived  far  enough  apart ;  were  the  entirest 
strangers ;  nay,  in  so  wide  a  universe, 
there  was  even  unconsciously,  by  com- 
merce, some  mutual  helpfulness  between 
them.  How  then  ?  Simpleton  !  Their 
governors  had  fallen  out ;  and  instead 
of  shooting  one  another,  had  the  cunning 
to  make  these  poor  blockheads  shoot !  ^' 
(Carlyle,  cited  in  Hughe's  ''  Philanthropy 
of  God '0. 


XYII 
THE  STATE 

L   Christ's  Attitude  towards  the  State 

1.  Loved  His  country,   "His  own  country" 

(Mt.  xiii.  54,  57)5  enough  to  die  for  it. 

2.  Kept  its  laws,  refusing  to  be  made  a  king, 

or  to  start  a  political  revolution  (John 
VI.  15 ;  and  at  Triumphal  Entry,  Mk. 
xi.  1-11). 

3.  Recognized  right  of  taxation  (Mk.  xii.  17), 

and  paid  taxes  (the  temple  tax,  Mt.  xvii. 
24-27);  what  it  included. 

4.  Loyal  to  national  institutions  :  temple,  syna- 

gogue, etc. 

5.  Recognized  first  claim  of  His  country  (Mt. 

X.  6 ;  Lk.  xxiv.  47). 

6.  Warned  it  of  its  perils  (Mt.  xxiii.  37-39). 

7.  Rebuked  its  officials  (Mt.  xxiii.  1-36). 

8.  Wept  over  its  sins  and  impending  doom 

(Lk.  xix.  41-44). 
Jesus  Christ  a  model  citizen. 

II.   Christ's  Teachings  Concerning  the  State 
1.  Negative  ;    by  silence  and  non-condemna- 
tion admitted  right  of  the  State  to  exist 
and  to  lay  claims  on  its  citizens  (Mt. 
xvii.  24-27). 

86 


Tlie  State  87 

2.  Eecognized  political  power  as  given  from 

above  (John  xix.  10,  11).  What  bearing 
has  this  on  "the  divine  right  of  kings  " 
and  ''  passive  resistance  "  ? 

3.  Used  the  relation  and  duties  of  king  and 

citizen  to  illustrate  His  doctrine  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God. 

4.  The  separation  of  Church  and  State  (Mk. 

xii.  13-17,  especially  ver.  17).  Study 
carefully  what  this  implies. 
"Cooperation  of  the  religious  and  political 
forces  of  the  community  furnishes  the 
positive  solution  of  Church  and  State. 
.  .  .  Historical  experience  has  com- 
pelled us  to  separate  Church  and  State 
because  each  can  accomplish  its  special 
task  best  without  the  interference  of  the 
other.  But  they  are  not  unrelated. 
Church  and  State  both  minister  to  some- 
thing greater  and  larger  than  either,  and 
they  find  their  true  relation  in  this  unity 
of  aim  and  service.  When  the  State  sup- 
ports morality  by  legal  constraint,  it  co- 
operates with  the  voluntary  moral  power 
of  the  Church ;  but  if  it  should  seek  to 
control  the  organization  and  influence  of 
the  Church  by  appointing  its  officers  or 
interfering  with  its  teaching,  it  would 
tamper  with  the  seed-plot  of  moral  prog- 
ress. When  the  Church  implants  relig- 
ious impulses  towards  righteousness  and 
trains  the  moral  convictions  of  the  people, 


88     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

it  cooperates  with  the  State  by  creating 
the  most  delicate  and  valuable  elements 
of  social  welfare  and  progress ;  but  if  it 
should  enter  into  politics  to  get  funds 
from  the  public  treasury  or  police  sup- 
port for  its  doctrine  and  ritual,  it  would 
inject  a  divisive  and  corrosive  force  into 
public  life.  The  machinery  of  Church 
and  State  must  be  kept  separate,  but  the 
output  of  each  must  mingle  with  the  other 
to  make  social  life  increasingly  wholesome 
and  normal.  Church  and  State  are  alike 
but  partial  organizations  of  humanity  for 
special  ends.  Together  they  serve  what 
is  greater  than  either  :  humanity.  Their 
common  aim  is  to  transform  humanity 
into  the  Kingdom  of  God"  (Eauschen- 
busch). 

HI*   Teachings  of  Christ   Jesus  which  Involve 
Politics 

1.  Christians  are  ''  Light '^  (Mt.  v.  14);  ^^Salt " 

(Mt.  V.  13). 

2.  The  Golden  Eule  (Mt.  vii.  12).     Ingalls  said 

it  has  no  place  in  politics.  Hay  prac- 
ticed it  in  diplomacy. 

3.  ^'Seek  first  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  His 

righteousness  "  (Mt.  vi.  33). 

4.  The  three  laws  of  Jesus,  which,  according 

to  Doctor  Strong,  are  (1)  Service  (Mt.  xx. 
25-28);  (2)  Sacrifice  (Mt.  xvi.  24,  25); 
(3)  Love  (Mt.  xix.  19). 


The  State  89 

IV»  Certain  Aims  of  Christ  Jesus  which  Involve 
Political  Relations  and  Duties 

1.  The  happiness  of  men  (Mt.  v.  3-12). 

2.  Marriage  (Mt.  v.  27-32). 

3.  World-wide  peace  (Lk.  ii.  14). 

4.  The  Kingdom  ctf  God  on  the  Earth  (Mt. 

vi.  10). 

V*  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  Study    the    influence    of    Christianity    in 

shaping  American  civilization  :  Jesuits, 
Puritans,  German  Pietists,  Moravians, 
Quakers,  Scotch-Irish,  etc. 

2.  Dangers  to  our  country  :  materialism  j  law- 

lessness ;  indifferentism ;  putting  private 
interests  above  those  of  the  community 
and  nation ;  party-politics. 

3.  To  live  for  one's  country  sometimes  a  more 

imperative  and  noble  thing  than  to  die 
for  it. 

4.  Can  a  politician  be  a  Christian  I    Matthew. 

Gladstone. 

5.  What  should  be  the  attitude  of  a  Christian 

politician  towards  those  who  elected  him  : 
representative  or  leader  ? 

6.  America's  need  is  politicians  with  the  vision 

and  spirit  of  Christ  Jesus. 

7.  A  motto  for  State  and  Church — *^In  this 

Sign,  Conquer." 


XYIII 

MISSIONS 

L  Chtist  Jestjs  Himself  the  G)smopoIite«  *^For 
Him  there  were  no  race  prejudices,  no  party 
lines,  no  sectarian  limits,  no  favored  na- 
tion." Though  born  a  Jew  (Lk.  ii.  4)  He 
is  the  ^  ^  Son  of  man ' '  (Mt.  xvi.  13)  and  ' '  the 
Man  "  (John  xix.  5). 

IL  The  Kingdom  of  God  Universal  in  Extension 
(Mt.  vi.  10)  and  Intension  (Mt.  xiii.  33). 
(See  Chapter  III,  i.  2.)  It  includes  social 
relations  and  duties. 

nL   Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus  which  Impel  to 
Social  Service  in  all  Lands 
Besides  the  broad  principles  of  (1)  the  Father- 
hood of  God,  (2)  the  brotherhood  of  man, 
(3)  the  neighborship  of  all  men,  there  are 
the  specific  teachings : 

1.  Chi-ist  came  to  save  the  world  (John  xii.  47). 

2.  ''The  field  is  the  world  "  (Mt.  xiii.  38). 

3.  Christians  ''the  salt"  and  "the  light"  of 

the  world  (Mt.  v.  13,  14). 

4.  Preaching  the  Gospel  is  to  be  to  all  nations 

for  a  witness  (Mt.  xxiv.  14). 

5.  The  uplifted  Christ  is  to  draw  all  men  unto 

Himself  (John  xii.  32). 
90 


Missions  91 

6.  Prophecy  of  comers  from  the  world's  ends 

(Mt.  viii.  11). 

7.  Christians  are  to  be  Christ's  witnesses  to  the 

ends  of  the  earth  (Acts  i.  8). 

8.  The    Great    Missionary    Commission    (Mt. 

xxviii.  16-20). 
Eeconcile  with  Mt.  xv.  24  and  Mt.  x.  5,  6. 
These  limitations  and  restrictions  were 
temporary.  ^'  The  reasons  were  adequate, 
the  disciples  had  to  be  fully  trained  ;  the 
Kingdom  of  God  had  to  be  preached  to 
the  people  who  had  been  disciplined  by 
the  providence  of  God  to  receive  it ;  the 
Gospel  had  to  be  completed  by  the  full 
disclosure  of  the  redemption  of  grace,  in 
the  death  and  resurrection  of  the  Saviour  " 
(Hastings). 


IV*  Social  Forces  Appointed  by  Christ  Jesus  for 
the  Extension  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  to 
all  the  "World 

1.  Prayer  (Mt.  vi.  10).     This  is  preeminently 

a  social  force ;  individuals,  homes,  com- 
munities may  be  changed  by  prayer  into 
better  living. 

2.  Healing  (Mt.  xx.  8).     This  is  the  warrant 

and  motive  for  medical  missions,  dispen- 
saries, hospitals,  etc. 

3.  Teaching  (Mt.  xxviii.  19,  20).     This  impels 

to  the  founding  of  schools,  colleges,  etc. 

4.  Preaching  the  Gospel  (Mt.  xxviii.  19,  20) 


92     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

which  is  a  social  Gospel,  the  Gospel  of 

''  The  Kingdom  of  God.^' 
**  From  its  modest  haunts  of  Church  and  School, 
of  hospital  and  asylum,  and  through  its 
unostentatious  instrumentalities  of  litera- 
ture, personal  example,  regenerated  home 
life,  and  sanctified  individual  character,  it 
is  destined  to  go  forth  conquering  and  to 
conquer,  as  a  potent  regenerator  of  society 
and  the  maker  of  a  new  civilization" 
(Bliss). 

V*   General    Considerations   Urging    to  World- 
Wide  Social  Service 

1.  The  social  conditions  and  needs  of   non- 

Christian  peoples  are  the  same,  in  inten- 
sified degree,  as  those  in  our  own  country. 
Human  nature,  sin  and  its  consequences 
are  everywhere  the  same.  For  example, 
the  city  problem,  the  family,  the  living 
wage,  the  drink  problem,  etc. 

2.  What  Christianity  has  done  for  the  social 

betterment  of  our  own  country  it  can  do, 
and  must  be  made  to  do,  for  non- Christian 
lands.  The  evils  found  among  other  na- 
tions have  been  cured,  or  are  in  process 
of  curing,  in  our  home  land. 

3.  Purely  social    conditions    are   among    the 

supreme  hindrances  to  the  evangeliza- 
tion of  the  nations,  as  e.  g.y  caste  in  India, 
the  position  of  woman  in  Mohammedan 
lands,  the  opium  habit  in  China.     Social 


Missions  93 

service  opens  doors,  creates  an  atmos- 
phere, illustrates  the  purpose  and  spirit 
of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  so  prepares 
the  way  for  evangelistic  work. 

4.  The  social  salvation  of  our  own  country  is 

involved  in  that  of  non- Christian  nations. 
Industrial  problems,  poverty,  the  public 
health,  the  preservation  of  the  family 
ideal  and  of  the  Sabbath  as  a  rest  day 
for  all,  are  involved  in  the  immigration 
of  multitudes  from  alien  civilizations. 
America  is  in  peril  of  being  drawn  into 
war  at  any  time  by  nations  whose  esti- 
mate of  war  is  other,  lower  than,  the 
Christian  ideal.  All  our  national  prob- 
lems are  world  problems. 

5.  The  danger  of  all  mission  work  is  in  trying 

to  save  individual  souls  without  saving  at 
the  same  time  their  environment,  the 
society  of  which  they  are  a  part. 

VL   Testimony  is  Abundant  that  Qiristianity  as 
a  Social  Force  is  Effective  in  non-Qiris- 
tian  Lands 
President  Taft :  ^^  Until  I  went  to  the  Orient 
.     .     .     I  did  not  realize  the  immense  im- 
portance of  foreign  missions.     .     .     .     No 
man  can  study  the  movement  of  modern 
civilization  from    an   impartial   standpoint 
and  not  realize  that  Christianity  and  the 
spread  of  Christianity  are  the  only  basis  of 
hope  of  modern  civilization  in  the  growth 


94     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

of  popular  self-government.  ...  I  think 
I  have  had  some  opportunity  to  know  how 
dependent  we  are  on  the  spread  of  Chris- 
tianity for  any  hope  we  may  have  of  uplift- 
ing the  peoples  whom  Providence  had  thrust 
upon  us  for  guidance."  Concerning  the 
modern  movement  in  China,  he  says  :  ' '  It 
found  its  inspiration,  and  had  its  progress, 
in  the  foreign  missionaries  that  had  been 
sent  there  to  introduce  Christian  civilization 
among  that  people.  The  missionary  stations 
are  the  outposts  of  civilization.  Each  mis- 
sionary with  his  house  and  his  staff  forms  a 
nucleus  about  which  gathers  an  influence 
far  in  excess  of  the  numerical  list  of  con- 
verts." 

King  George  sent  to  the  Edinburgh  Conference 
this  greeting:  '^The  King  appreciates  the 
supreme  importance  of  this  work  in  its  bear- 
ing upon  the  cementing  of  international 
friendship,  the  cause  of  peace,  and  the  well- 
being  of  mankind." 

The  Imperial  German  Colonial  Ofi&ce  sent  to 
the  same  Conference  these  words :  ''It  rec- 
ognizes with  satisfaction  and  gratitude  that 
the  endeavors  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel 
are  followed  by  the  blessings  of  civilization 
and  culture  in  all  countries. " 

The  Chinese  Director  General  of  Education  at 
Nanking  a  few  years  ago,  himself  not  a 
Christian,  declared  that  the  old  moral  max- 
ims of  Chinese  education,  though  they  ex» 


Missions  95* 

pressed  abstract  truths,  had  no  spiritual 
motives  back  of  them,  and  that  the  old  and 
formalized  religion  had  been  divorced  from 
morality,  and  said,  ''The  only  religion  that 
teaches  both  the  spiritual  wants  of  mankind 
and  the  principles  of  morality  also  is  the 
Christian  religion.  That  is  why  we  wish 
you  to  teach  it  in  our  leading  schools." 
The  Right  Honorable  Winston  Churchill,  M.  P., 
testifies  concerning  mission  work  in  Uganda  : 
''  It  comprises  every  form  of  moral  and  social 
activity.  Apart  from  their  spiritual  work 
the  missionaries  have  undertaken  and  are 
now  maintaining  the  whole  educational  sys- 
tem of  the  country.  They  have  built  many 
excellent  schools.  The  whole  country  is 
dotted  with  mission  stations,  each  a  center 
of  philanthropic  and  Christian  effort.  There 
are  good  hospitals,  with  skilful  doctors  and 
nurses,  in  connection  with  all  the  missions. 
Technical  education  is  now  being  added  to 
these  services." 

VII*  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  What  is  the  time  element  in  such  an  under- 

taking ? 

2.  "No  one  can  follow  Christ  without  follow- 

ing Him  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  "  (Speer). 

3.  Praying    "Thy   Kingdom    (social)   come'^ 

compels  every  man  to  be  a  helper  in  for- 
eign mission  work. 

4.  "In  missionary  work,  above  all  other  kinds 


96     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

of  Christian  work,  it  is  imperative  to  re- 
member that  a  divided  Christendom  can 
only  imperfectly  bear  witness  to  the  essen- 
tial unity  of  Christianity.  I  believe  that 
without  compromise  of  belief,  without 
loss  of  the  positive  good  contained  in 
the  recognition  of  diversities  of  gifts  and 
differences  of  administration,  Christian 
Churches  may  yet  find  a  way  to  cordial 
cooperation  and  friendship  as  regards  the 
great  underlying  essentials  upon  which 
as  a  foundation  all  Christian  Churches 
are  built '^  (Eoosevelt).  In  the  face  of 
its  stupendous  task  a  divided  Church  is 
both  a  huge  folly  and  sin. 


XIX 
THE  CHTJECH 

Christ    Jesus    as  a  Member  of  the  Jewish 

Church 

1.  Admitted  to  membership  by  rite  of  circum- 

cision, corresponding  to  baptism  in  the 
Christian  Church  (Lk.  ii.  21). 

2.  Presented  in  the  Temple  (Lk.  ii.  22). 

3.  Went  up  to  the  feasts  in  the  Temple  :  at  12 

years  of  age  (Lk.  ii.  42) ;  habitually  after- 
wards. Was  regular  attendant  at  syna- 
gogues, corresponding  to  local  Christian 
churches.  The  fourfold  function  of  the 
synagogue  was  (1)  worship,  (2)  educa- 
tion, (3)  consideration  of  the  social  as 
well  as  the  religious  needs  of  the  commu- 
nity, (4)  limited  governmental  authority. 

4.  Partook  of  the  Passover  (Lk.  xxii.  14  ff.). 

5.  Aided  in  money  support  of  the  Church  (Mt. 

xvii.  24-27). 

6.  Preached  in  synagogues  and  Temple  (Lk. 

iv.  16 ff.;  Mt.  xxvi.  55). 

7.  Labored  to  reform  the  Church  of  its  abuses 

(Mt.  xxi.  12,  13). 

8.  In  the  synagogue  announced  His  social  mis- 

sion (Lk.  iv.  16  ff.). 
97 


gS     The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

9.  In  the  synagogue  did  many  of  His  social 
works  (Mk.  iii.  Iff.)- 


n*   Christ   Jesus  the  Founder  of  the  Christian 

Church 
Did  not  actually  organize  the  disciples  into  a 
society.     That  was  done  shortly  after  His 
death  (Acts  i.,  ii.).     But  He  made  all  pro- 
visions for  and  demanding  such  organization. 

1.  Intimated  His  purpose  to  found  a  church 

(Mt.  xvi.  18). 

2.  Called  disciples  unto  Himself  (John  i.  43 ; 

Mt.  ix.  9). 

3.  Chose    twelve    apostles    (Mk.    iii.    14-19). 

Note  that  these  were  (1)  to  be  with  Him 
for  training  in  ideals  and  methods  (ver. 
14),  and  then  (2)  to  be  sent  forth  on  a 
mission  both  religious — *^to  preach" 
(ver.  14),  and  social — 'Ho  heal,^'  etc. 
(ver.  15). 

4.  Entrusted  the  Church  with  **  powers  of  per- 

mitting and  forbidding"  (Mt.  xviii. 
17,  18). 

5.  Sent  the  apostles  out  on  a  mission  of  service 

(Mt.  X.  5ff.). 

6.  Ordained  certain  rites  and  ceremonies  which 

were  to  serve,  among  other  uses,  as  badges 
and  bonds  ;  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per. 

7.  Commissioned  apostles  to  go  into  all  the 

world  and  (1)  make  disciples,  (2)  baptize, 


The  Church  on 

(3)  teach  what  He  had  taught,  much  of 
which  was  social  (Mt.  xxviii.  19,  20). 

8.  Commanded  apostles  to  wait  in  Jerusalem 

until  endued  with  power  (Lk.  xxiv.  49 ; 
Acts  i.  4,  5). 

9.  The  Birthday  of  the  Church  (Acts  i.,  ii.). 

nL   Relation  of  ''  the  Church  **  to  ^^  the  Kingdom 
of  God/'    The  terms  are  not  synonymous. 
This  is  the  error  of  Eomanism.    The  teach  - 
ing  concerning  the  Kingdom  is  (1)  earlier, 
(2)  larger— the  Kingdom  is  referred  to  in 
the  Gospels  112  times  j  the  Church  2  times 
—(3)  as  more  fundamental  than  the  Church. 
The  Church  came  later  than  the  Kingdom, 
is  an  outward  organization  for  the  promo- 
tion of  the  Kingdom,  and  will  no  longer 
have  any  reason  for  being  when  the  King- 
dom shall  have  fully  come.     The  Church's 
one  mission  is  to  realize  the  Kingdom  of 
God  in  the  world,     '^t  is  evident  that  the 
idea  of  the  Kingdom  is  the  more  promi- 
nent and  the  more  fundamental  one  in  the 
mind  of  Jesns  :  but  it  is  also  evident  that 
He  regarded  some  outward  form  of  asso- 
ciation and  organization  as  essential  to  the 
most  effective  promotion  of  the  Kingdom. 
The  common  spiritual  life  which  consti- 
tutes men  members  of  the  Kingdom  of  God 
needs  to  be  fostered  by  reciprocal  fellow- 
ship and  expressed  in  organized  effort^' 
(Stevens). 


loo    The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

IV*  The  Social  Function  of  the  Church 

1.  To  hold  up  and  emphasize  Christ's  ideal  of 

the  Kingdom. 

2.  To    study    and    declare  social   conditions, 

needs,  remedies  :  general  and  specific. 

3.  To  create  a  social  conscience. 

4.  To  inspire  men  to  social  work  ;  i.  e.,  to  fur- 

nish and  train  workers. 

5.  To  secure  money  needed  for  social  service. 

6.  To    cooperate    with  extra-church  agencies 

and  organizations  doing  social  work. 
Often  she  can  best  serve  through  these. 

7.  To  LEAD  in  the  work  of  the  world^s  social 

redemption. 

8.  Above  all,  to  hold  up  Christ  Jesus  as  the 

only  Saviour  of  individuals  and  society, 
and  to  press  His  salvation  as  the  only 
cure  for  the  world's  sin  which  is  at  the 
bottom  of  all  the  social  wrongs  and  needs 
of  the  ages.  This  is  her  great  duty,  first, 
last  and  all  the  time. 

V.  Foes  to  Social  Work  Found  in  the  Church 
Itself 
(1)  Sectarianism.  (2)  Commercialism.  (3)  Form- 
alism. (4)  Doctrinarianism.  (5)  Other  world- 
ism. 

VL  Lessons  and  Queries 

1.  Is  it  true  that  ''the  Church  is  on  the  side 

of  the  rich"  ? 

2.  What  is  the  place  of  creeds  in  the  Church  ? 


The  Church  loi 

3.  The   sociological    influence    of  a    divided 

Christendom— waste,  confusion,  strife, 
scandal.  The  churches  (1)  must  come 
together  and  discuss  their  differences, 
(2)  minimize  these,  (3)  unite  on  the  basic 
facts,  and  (4)  work  together  in  social 
labors  even  while  they  may  not  be  able 
to  come  together  on  one  doctrinal  basis. 

4.  Call  upon  extra-church  agencies  and  organi- 

zations doing  social  work  to  give  due 
credit  to  Christ  and  the  Church  for  their 
ideals,  inspirations,  helpers,  and  money 
support.  V/ithout  Christ  and  Christians 
they  could  do  little. 

5.  The  Church  appeals  reasonably  for  the  mem- 

bership and  support  of  working  people, 
socialists,  philanthropists. 

6.  What  has  Christianity  done  for  the  social 

betterment  of  non- Christian  lands ! 


XX 

THE  LOED'S  SUPPER 

L   The  Institution  of  the  Supper 
The  four  accounts,  in  chronological  order,  are, 
(1)   1  Cor.   zi.   23-26 ;  (2)   Mk.  xiv.  22-25  : 
(3)  Mt.  xxvi.  26-29  ;  (4)  Lk.  xxii.  17-20. 

IL  The  Social  Significance  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
The  Supper  is  first  and  preeminently  religious 
in  character,  a  feast  commemorative  of  the 
death  of  Christ  for  sinful  men.  But  it  has 
also  social  aspects  and  lessons,  and  to  these 
this  study  is  confined. 

1.  A  feast  of  commemoration.     *^This  do  in 

remembrance  of  me  "  (1  Cor.  xi.  24.  25  ; 
Lk.  xxii.  19).  A  memorial  of  Christ's 
sacrificial  death  for  others:  ''My  blood 
which  is  shed  for  many"  (Mk.  xiv.  24)  ; 
Matthew  adds,  "unto  remission  of  sins" 
(Mt.  xxvi.  28),  which  gives  a  unique 
significance  to  Christ's  death ;  ''  blood 
poured  forth  for  you  "  (Lk.  xxii.  20)  ; 
''My  body  which  is  for  you"  (1  Cor. 
xi.  24).  In  this  sacrificial  death  of  Christ 
is  the  great  example  of  social  service. 

2.  A  feast  of  communion.     "This  cup  is  the 

102 


The  Lord's  Supper  103 

new  covenant  in  my  blood  '^  (1  Cor. 
xi.  25;  Mt.  xxvi.  28;  Mk.  xiv.  24; 
Lk.  xxii.  20).  Partaking  of  a  common 
food,  the  bread  and  wine,  meant  com- 
munion in  a  common  life.  More  than 
this,  since  the  bread  and  wine  are 
symbolic  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ, 
partaking  of  these  meant  common  par- 
ticipation of  Christ  Jesus  Himself.  This 
communion  is  (1)  in  Christ  Jesus, 
(2)  with  Christ  Jesus,  (3)  with  one 
another.  It  is  the  highest  and  holiest 
expression  of  brotherhood,  not  mere 
brotherhood  in  a  common  humanity,  but 
brotherhood  in  Christ  Jesus.  One  who 
has  partaken  of  the  Lord's  Supper  can- 
not, dare  not,  go  out  and  commit  an  un- 
social act. 

3.  A  feast  of  anticipation.     ^'  Until  I  drink  it 

new  with  you  in  the  Kingdom  of  God ' ' 
(Mt.  xxvi.  29  ;  Mk.  xiv.  25  ;  Lk.  xxii.  18  ; 
1  Cor.  xi.  26).  It  points  forward  to  the 
realization  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  a 
social  world,  in  which  the  returned  Christ 
shall  be  King  (1  Cor.  xi.  26). 

4.  A  feast  of   proclamation.     *^Ye  proclaim 

the  Lord's  death  till  He  come  "  (1  Cor. 
xi.  26).  The  death  of  Christ  Jesus  and 
the  redemption  thereby  of  mankind  to 
union  with  God  and  with  one  another — 
*Hhe  union  of  mankind,  but  a  union  be- 
gun and  subsisting  only  in  Christ,  is  what 


104    The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

the  Lord's  Supper  sacrameutally  ex- 
presses'' (Seeley). 

5.  A  feast  of  consecration.     To  Christ,  and  in 

Him  to  the  social  service  of  all  men  ;  to 
the  bringing  to  completeness  the  King- 
dom of  God  in  the  world.  Gratitude  to 
Christ,  sympathy  with  Him  in  His  ideal 
and  purpose,  and  desire  for  His  success 
and  satisfaction  are  the  chief  motives  to 
consecration. 

6.  A   feast   for  sustenance.      In  the  supper, 

typified  in  the  bread  and  wine,  there  is 
real  spiritual  food  which  nourishes  and 
strengthens  for  the  Christian  life,  which 
is  a  life  of  service.  Apart  from  the  Lord's 
Supper  the  social  worker  is  unequal  to 
his  task. 

UL  Gfcumstances  Attending  the  Early  Observ- 
ance of  the  Supper,  in  the  Scripture  Nar- 
ratives, are  in  Two  Instances  Socially  Sig- 
nificant 
1.  Its  institution,  in  connection  with  the  Pass- 
over Supper,  was  preceded  by  (1)  the 
declaration  that  greatness  in  the  King- 
dom of  God  consists,  not  in  filling  honor- 
able places,  but  in  service  of  others 
(Lk.  xxii.  24-27) ;  and  (2)  the  example 
of  Christ  Himself  in  serving — washing  the 
disciples'  feet  (John  xiii.  1-17),  leading 
up  to  the  saying,  ^'Ye  call  me  Teacher, 
and  Lord :     ...     if  I  then,  the  Lord 


The  Lord's  Supper  105 

and  the  Teacher,  have  washed  your  feet, 
ye  also  ought  to  wash  one  another's  feet. 
For  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that 
ye  also  should  do  as  I  have  done  unto 
you^'  (vers.  13-15). 

2.  Its  observance,  in  connection  with  the  love- 
feast  in  the  Corinthian  Church,  was  at- 
tended with  abuses  unsocial  in  their 
nature  (1  Cor.  xi.  20-22).  '<  Christians 
came  together,  each  bringing  what  he 
could  as  a  contribution  to  the  feast.  The 
wealthy  took  the  best  seats,  kept  hold  of 
their  own  delicacies,  and,  without  waiting 
for  the  common  distribution,  each  looked 
out  for  himself,  and  went  on  with  his  own 
supper,  regardless  of  the  fact  that  others 
at  the  table  had  little  or  none."  Any 
true  partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper  in 
connection  with  such  an  unsocial  meal 
was  impossible.  It  was  a  bringing  into 
the  Kingdom  of  God  the  worldly  distinc- 
tions based  upon  wealth,  rank,  learning, 
etc.  It  was  unbrotherliness,  it  was  con- 
tradiction of  the  very  genius  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  service  of  others  through  sacrifice 
of  self. 

It  is  further  significant  that  this  account  of  the 
abuse  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  found  in  the 
first  letter  to  the  Corinthian  Church, 
which  is  '*  The  Epistle  of  the  Cross  in  its 
social  application.  .  .  .  WhatEomans 
does  for  the  Gospel  in  the  field  of  theo- 


io6    The  Social  Teachings  of  Christ  Jesus 

logical  exposition,  and  Galatians  in  that 
of  doctrinal  polemic,  and  2  Corinthians 
in  that  of  personal  experience  and  minis- 
terial vocation,  this  1  Corinthians  has 
done  in  respect  of  its  bearing  upon  hu- 
man intercourse  and  the  life  of  the  com- 
munity "  (Findlay). 

IV.  **  In  the  Holy  Supper  we  remember  the  one 
sacrifice  which  effectually  dealt  with  the 
problem  of  sin  ;  declare  our  obligation  to 
Him  who  redeemed  us,  and  our  devotion 
to  His  service  ;  acknowledge  that  we  are  a 
brotherhood  bound  to  walk  in  love  ;  and 
honor  love  crucified  as  the  most  worship- 
ful thing  in  the  universe.  We  cannot 
doubt  that  a  rite  capable  of  giving 
symbolic  utterance  to  so  much  meaning 
was  intended  to  be  repeated ' '  (Bruce). 
It  is  the  duty,  therefore,  of  every  social  worker 
to  partake  regularly  and  frequently  of  the 
Lord's  Supper.  The  benefits  of  so  doing 
are  many.  Of  these  not  the  least  impor- 
tant are  the  contemplation  of  the  supreme 
social  Servant,  the  culture  of  the  social 
spirit,  and  the  maintenance  of  strength  for 
social  labors. 

V*  Lessons  and  Queries 
1,  The   name   ''Sacrament^'    by    which   the 
Lord's  Supper  is  called  is  originally  ^*a 
soldier's  oath  of  loyalty  to  his  king.'* 


The  Lord's  Supper  107 

Such  it  is  to  the  Christian — a  pledge  of 
loyalty  to  Christ  Jesus,  the  King  of  a 
social  kingdom. 

2.  Fellowship  with  Christ  and  one  another  in 

the  Supper  is  "fellowship  of  the  same 
aim — an  ideal  world  ;  of  the  same  motive — 
a  disinterested  love  ;  of  the  same  spirit — 
that  of  joyous  service  and  of  glad  sacri- 
fice ;  of  the  same  great  hope — a  sinless  and 
tearless  world  ;  and  we  shall  forever  have 
the  fellowship  of  the  same  Jo?/ — the  blessed 
fruition  of  the  Kingdom  fully  come" 
(Strong). 

3.  Study    of  the  Social  Teachings  of  Christ 

Jesus  has  brought  us  to  the  necessity  for 
communion  with  Him  and  His  Church  ; 
and  such  communion  brings  enablement 
for  the  highest  and  most  lasting  social 
service.  "Come,  learn  of  me!"  "Go, 
serve!"  "Through  Christ  Jesus  I  can 
do  all  things  !  "      "  For  Christ's  sake  I " 


Bibliography 


Especially  Helpful 

Bruce  :  Kingdom  of  God. 

Hastings  :  Dictionary  of  Christ  and  the  Gospels. 

Dictionary  of  the  Bible. 

Hyde  :  From  Epicurus  to  Christ. 

God's  Education  of  Man. 
Jesus*  Way. 

Mathews  :  Approach  to  the  Social  Question. 

Church  and  the  Changing  Order. 
Social  Teachings  of  Jesus. 

Peabody  ;  Christian  Life  in  the  Modern  World. 

Jesus  Christ  and  the  Christian  Character. 
Jesus  Christ  and  the  Social  Question. 

Rauschenbusch  :   Christianity  and  the  Social  Crisis. 
Christianizing  the  Social  Order. 

Stevens  :  Teachings  of  Jesus. 

Theology  of  the  New  Testament. 


Vedder  : 

Gospel  of  Jesus  and  the  Problems  of 

Democracy. 
Socialism  and  the  Ethics  of  Jesus. 

Abbott  : 

Addams  : 

Rights  of  Man. 

A   New   Conscience   and   an   Ancient 
Evil. 

109 

no 


Bibliography 


Democracy  and  Social  Ethics. 
Spirit  of  Youth  and  the  City  Streets. 
Twenty  Years  at  Hall  House. 

Bliss  ;  Christian  Missions  and  Social  Progress. 

Encyclopedia  of  Social  Reform. 

Brace  :  Gesta  Christi. 

Brooks  :  Social  Unrest. 

Brown  :  Modern   Theology  and   the  Preaching 

of  the  Gospel. 
Social  Message  of  the  Modern  Pulpit. 

Clarke  :  Ideal  of  Jesus. 

Outline  of  Christian  Theology. 

Clow  :  Christ  and  the  Social  Order. 

Crafts  :  Practical  Christian  Sociology. 

Cutting  :  Church  and  Society. 

Ely  :  Social  Aspects  of  Christianity. 

Ghent  :  Mass  and  Class. 

Gillett  :  Politics  and  Religion. 

Hogg  :  Christ's  Message  of  the  Kingdom. 

HoRTON  :  Teaching  of  Jesus. 

HowERTON  :  Church  and  Social  Reform. 

Hughes  :  Philanthropy  of  God. 

Hunter  :  Poverty. 

Jenks  :  Social  Significance  of  the  Teachings  of 

Jesus. 

King  :  Theology  and  the  Social  Consciousness. 


Bibliography                      1 1 1 

Macfarland  : 

Spiritual  Culture  and  Social  Service. 

Nearing  : 

Social  Adjustment. 

Patten  : 

New  Basis  of  Civilization. 
Social  Basis  of  Religion. 

Robinson  : 

Christian  Doctrine  of  Man. 

Ross: 

Changing  America. 
Social  Control. 

Stelzle  : 

American    Social  and   Religious   Con- 
ditions. 
Christianity's  Storm  Centre. 
Gospel  of  Labor. 
Working  Man  and  Social  Progress. 

Seeley  : 

Ecce  Homo. 

Stalker  : 

Ethics  of  Jesus. 
Imago  Christi. 

Strong 


Taylor : 
Thorold 
Waffle  : 


The  Next  Great  Awakening. 

Our  Country. 

Our  World. 

Twentieth  Century  City. 

Religion  in  Social  Action. 

On  Money. 

Christianity  and  Property. 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


